GERMAN 
EMPEROR 

AS  SHOWN  IN  HIvS 
PUBLIC  UTTERANCES 


CHMSTIAN  X^AUvSS 


This  book  is  DUF  -      tu     i  -^  ^^ 


d^te  stamped  bel< 


"HERN  BRA^VCH, 

Ul^iiVtH-  '■■■    "•   CALi^"'  '^ 


«   / 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

AS   SHOWN 
IN  HIS   PUBLIC  UTTERANCES 


) 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

AS   SHOWN 
IN  HIS  PUBLIC   UTTERANCES 


BY 

CHRISTIAN   GAUSS 

PROFESSOR    OF    MODERN    LANGUAGES,   PRINCETON    UNIVERSITY 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1915 


74830 


Copyright,  1915,  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Published  February,  1915 


,*i 


PREFACE 


Unlike  his  grandfather,  who  shielded  himself 
behind  his  Chancellor,  the  present  Emperor  has 
always  insisted  upon  making  himself  the  storm- 
centre  of  the  debates  in  his  Reichstag  and  among 
his  people.  He  has  played  with  many,  if  not  all, 
of  his  cards  upon  the  table.  In  accordance  with 
this  policy  he  has  gone  through  his  country  from 
end  to  end  and  into  foreign  lands,  everywhere 
announcing  his  policies  and  his  views  on  every 
possible  subject  of  interest  or  controversy.  Up 
to  1905  he  had  made  upward  of  five  hundred  and 
seventy  speeches,  and  since  that  time  has  made 
almost  as  many  more.  It  was  manifestly  impos- 
sible to  give  all  of  these  speeches,  and  it  was  also 
thought  unfair  to  give  merely  extracts  which 
might  fail  to  represent  the  spirit  of  the  entire 
pronouncement.  They  are  all  printed,  therefore, 
in  the  completest  form  available.  Particular 
speeches  have  often  been  reported  to  the  press 
in  widely  differing  versions.  In  all  cases  only 
those  speeches  are  here  presented  which  have  re- 
ceived official  or  semiofficial  sanction.    The  text 


PREFACE 

followed  for  pronouncements  made  before  191 3, 
with  the  one  exception  of  the  Daily  Telegraph 
interview,  October  29,  1908,  has  always  been 
that  of  the  recognized  and  standard  edition  in 
four  volumes,  edited  by  J.  Penzler  and  published 
in  the  Reel  am  Universal-Bibliothek.  Now  and 
then  only  portions  of  certain  addresses  appear 
to  have  been  reported,  and  on  a  few  occasions 
parts  of  speeches  are  given  directly  and  other 
parts  are  merely  summarized.  In  all  such  cases 
the  speech  is  translated  from  the  form  sanctioned 
in  the  official  version.  In  no  case  has  any  change 
been  made.  Where  significant  differences  exist 
in  the  versions  of  addresses  as  given  officially  and 
unofficially,  the  official  version  is  in  every  instance 
printed  first.  It  has  been  the  aim  to  present 
faithfully  the  language  and  spirit  of  the  speaker, 
and  his  phraseology  and  emphasis  have  been  re- 
produced as  closely  as  was  at  all  consistent  with 
fair  English  usage.  The  speeches  have  been 
chosen  to  represent  in  due  proportion  his  many 
interests,  and  range  therefore  from  agriculture 
and  art  to  Biblical  criticism,  national  and  inter- 
national politics. 

The  Emperor  has,  of  course,  not  given  titles  to 
his  speeches,  and  the  headings  have  been  as- 
signed by  the  compiler.  It  has  been  his  aim  to 
explain  the  circumstances  under  which  each  ad- 

vi 


PREFACE 

dress  was  delivered  and  to  make  plain  the  ref- 
erences to  events  embodied  therein.  Questions 
which  have  had  a  continuous  interest,  or  which 
have  had  some  lasting  effect  on  Germany's  policy, 
such  as  the  attitude  toward  Alsace-Lorraine,  the 
Social  Democratic  party,  the  retirement  of  Bis- 
marck, the  development  of  the  navy,  the  Morocco 
question,  have  been  treated  at  greater  length  on 
the  first  fitting  occasion.  For  the  introductions, 
therefore,  the  compiler  assumes  responsibility.  In 
preparing  them  he  has  had  recourse  to  many  in- 
cidental sources  of  information,  and  in  many  cases 
the  true  inwardness  of  certain  situations  is  still 
as  much  a  matter  of  controversy  as  the  causes  of 
the  present  war.  For  his  facts  generally,  he  has 
followed  where  possible,  besides  such  incidental 
and  contemporary  sources,  Bruno  Gebhardt's 
"Handbuch  der  Deutschen  Geschichte"  (1913), 
the  "Cambridge  Modern  History — The  Latest 
Age,"  volume  XII  (1910),  and  the  volumes  of  the 
"Statesman's  Yearbook."  In  addition,  for  infor- 
mation concerning  the  internal  development  of 
Germany  he  has  consulted  and  drawn  upon  the 
literature  of  this  subject  which  has  appeared  in 
the  last  decade,  but  is  more  particularly  indebted 
to  Doctor  Paul  Liman's  "Der  Kaiser,"  Dawson's 
"The  Evolution  of  Modern  Germany,"  Barker's 
"Modern   Germany,"  Price  CoUier's   "Germany 

vii 


PREFACE 

and  the  Germans,"  Forbes's  "William  of  Ger- 
many/' Gibbons's  "The  New  Map  of  Europe," 
and  the  ^'  Reichsgesetzhlatt,'' 

As  the  Emperor  has  spoken  upon  almost  every 
phase  of  German  political  life,  with  the  editorial 
introductions  which  aim  to  set  forth  briefly  the 
occasion  and  causes  of  each  address,  it  is  hoped 
that  altogether  the  volume  will  offer  a  fairly  ac- 
curate picture  of  the  trend  of  German  affairs  for 
the  last  twenty-five  years. 

For  help  in  the  preparation  of  this  volume,  the 
writer  is  much  indebted  to  his  wife,  whose  assist- 
ance has  amounted  to  collaboration. 

Princeton,  N.  J. 
December  20,  1914. 


vm 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Preface    v 

I 

The  Hohenzollern  Tradition       i 

II 

Preliminaries 25 

June  IS,  1888— October  30,  1889. 

The  First  Official  Act  of  the  Emperor       ....       25 

Schloss  Friedrichskron,  June  15,  1888.  — — 

To  My  People 28 

Potsdam,  June  18,  1888. 

First  Declaration  of  Policy SJ^ 

Berlin,  June  25,  1888.  "^ 

Opening  of  the  Reichstag 39 

November  22,  1888.  

The  Emperor  and  the  Striking  Miners 45 

May  14,  1889. 

Visit  of  the  King  of  Italy 47 

Berlin,  May  22,  1889. 

The  English  Fleet  and  the  German  Army    ....       48 
Sandown  Bay,  August  5,  1889.  — 

ix 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The  English  Army 49 

Aldershot,  August  7,  1889. 

The  Czar  at  Berlin        50 

Berlin,  October  11,  1889. 

On  Board  an  English  Flag-Ship 51 

The  Piraeus,  October  30,  1889. 


Ill 

After  Bismarck •    •    .      53 

May  6,  1890 — June  21,  1895. 

Opening  of  the  Reichstag 53 

Berlin,  May  6,  1890. 

Review  of  the  Ninth  Army  Corps        60 

Flensburg,  September  4,  1890. 

Accidents  with  Agricultural  Machinery 62 

Berlin,  November  11,  1890. 

Alsace-Lorraine ^£6 

Berlin,  March  14,  1891. 

Swearing  in  the  Recruits 72 

Potsdam,  November  23,  1891. 

The  Emperor's  First  Army  Bill 75 

Berlin,  July  4,  1893. 

Arrival  in  Metz 80 

Metz,  September  3,  1893. 

Dedication  of  Flags 81 

Berlin,  October  18,  1894. 

Navy  Recruits 84 

Kiel,  December  3,  1894. 

X 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


Christening  of  a  Cruiser 86 

Kiel,  March  26,  1895. 

Visit  to  Bismarck °7 

Friedrichsruh,  March  26,  1895.  ^"^ 

Opening  of  the  Emperor  William  Canal        ....      91 

Kiel,  June  21,  1895. 

IV 

The  Beginning  of  World  Politics 95 

June  16,  1896— March  22,  1905.  ' 

The  Beginning  of  World  Politics 95 

Berlin,  June  16,  1896.  

To  the  Recruits  for  the  Navy 103 

Wilhelmshaven,  February  21,  1896. 

A  Toast  to  the  Russian  Emperor  and  Empress      .     .     104 

St.  Petersburg,  August  8,  1897. 

The  Army  Tradition 109^ 

Coblentz,  August  30,  1897.  ^ 

Toast  to  the  Italian  King  and  Queen 109 

Homburg,  September  4,  1897. 

Address  at  a  Dedication  of  Flags HI 

Berlin,  October  18,  1897. 

On  Administering  the  Oath  to  the  Recruits      .     .     .     113 
Berlin,  November  18,  1897.  '" 

The  Chinese  Situation  and  the  Mailed  Fist       .     .     .    ^116^ 

December  15,  1897. 

Address  to  the  Regiments  of  the  Body-Guard       .     121 
Potsdam,  June  16,  1898. 
xi 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


On  the  Death  of  Prince  Bismarck        .123 

Friedrichsruh,  August  2,  1898. 

"Our  Future  Lies  Upon  the  Water" 126 

Stettin,  September  23,  1898. 

The  Journey  to  the  Holy  Land        127 

Bethlehem,  October  30,  1898. 

Dedication  of  the  Church  of  Our  Redeemer      .     .     .     132 
Jerusalem,  October  31,  1898.  ^ 

By  Divine  Right 135 

Brandenburg,  February  3,  1899. 

The  Hague  Conference 141^ 

Wiesbaden,  May  18,  1899. 

The  Housing  of  Laborers        143 

Early  June,  1899. 

French  Heroism  at  St.  Privat 143 

The  Battle-field  of  St.  Privat,  August  18,  1899. 


V 

The  Greater  Navy       147 

"Bitterly  We  Need  a  Powerful  German  Fleet"     .     .     150 
Hamburg,  October  18,  1899. 

On  the  Threshold  of  the  New  Century 154 

Berlin,  January  i,  1900. 

New  Boundary  Posts 157 

Berlin,  February  13,  1900. 

Seaports  and  Cannon 159 

Lubeck,  June  16,  1900. 

xii 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The  Ocean  Knocks  at  Our  Door i6o 

Kiel,  July  3,  1900. 

Open  the  Way  for  Culture 163 

Bremen,  July  27,  1900. 

Civis  Romanus  Sum 167 

Imperial  Limes  Museum,  Saalburg,  October  11,  1900. 

Cabinet  Order  to  the  Prussian  Army 169 

January,  1901. 

Dedication  of  the  Barracks  of  the  Alexander  Regiment     171 

March  28,  1901. 

To  the  Students  at  Bonn        I74 

April  24,  1901. 

A  Place  in  the  Sun 180 

Hamburg,  June  18,  1901. 

The  Great  Elector 184 

Kiel,  June  20,  1901.  "     • 

Entrance  of  Prince  Eitel  Friedrich  into  the  Army     .     189 
July  7,  1901. 

True  Art 191 

Berlin,  December  18,  1901. 

Monument  to  General  von  Rosenberg 201 

April  20,  1902. 

The  Old  Order  Changeth       203 

Aix,  June  19,  1902. 

Alfred  Krupp  and  the  Socialists 209 

November  26,  1902. 

The  Working  Man  Once  More 213 

Breslau,  December  5,  1902. 
xiii 


CONTENTS 

PACE 

Scholarship  and  Religion        216 

Berlin,  February  15,  1903.  -^"'^ 

Frederick  the  Great  and  His  Army 225 

Doberitz,  May  29,  1903.  

The  Future  of  Germany 227 

Hamburg,  June  20,  1903. 

The  Reasons  for  Japan's  Victory 232, 

March  9,  1905. 

The  Salt  of  the  Earth 233 

Bremen,  March  22,  1905. 


VI 

On  the  Eve  of  Morocco       240 

March  31,  1905 — November  12,  1906. 

The  Morocco  Question 240 

Tangiers,  March  31,  1905.  ■ 

The  Great  Ally 242* 

September  8,  1906. 

Optimism  and  Literature       247 

Munich,  November  12,  1906. 

Twenty-Five  Years  of  Labor  Legislation      ....     253 
November  17,  1896. 


VII 

The  Crisis  of  1907 :    256 

February  5,  1907 — October  18,  191 1.  <  " 

Imperialism  versus  Social  Democracy 256 

Berlin,  February  5,  1907. 
xiv 

/ 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


The  Necessity  of  Faith 259 

Miinster,  August  31,  1907. 

EngHsh  Journalists        264 

London,  November  16,  1907. 

Alsace-Lorraine 265 

Strasburg,  August  30,  1908.  ■ 


The  Daily  Telegraph  Interview 267 

October  28,  1908. 

The  Emperor  and  Count  Zeppelin       273 

Manzell,  November  10,  1908.  -'  — - 

Regatta  at  Hamburg 274 

Hamburg,  June  22,  1909. 

Review  of  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps 278 

Karlsruhe,  September  11,  1909. 

Emperor  by  Divine  Right 279 

Konigsberg,  August  25,  1910. ^ 

The  Hundredth  Anniversary  of  the  Founding  of  the 
University  of  Berlin        285 

Berlin,  October  11,  1910. 

The  Emperor  in  Brussels        290 

October  27,  1910. 

Alcohol  and  the  Schools 292 

Cassel,  August  19,  1911.  ^"^ 

International  Competition 295 

Hamburg,  August  27,  191 1.  ^ ^ 

Imperial  Glories        299 

Aix,  October  18,  191 1. 

XV 


CONTENTS 
VIII 


PAGE 


Last  Months  of  Peace 303 

February  7,  1912— June  23,  1914. 

Opening  of  the  Reichstag 303 

Berlin,  February  7,  191 2. 

Brandenburg  Once  Again       307 

May  30,  1912. 

Hauling  Down  the  Flag 313 

Hamburg,  June  18,  1912.  ^-^ 

Accident  to  a  Zeppelin 316 

Bonn,  October  17,  1913. 

We  Germans  Fear  God,  Nothing  Else 318 

Hamburg,  June  23,  1914.  - — 


IX 

At  the  Outbreak  of  the  War 323 

Forcing  the  Sword  into  His  Hand        323 

Berlin,  July  31,  1914. 

An  End  of  Parties 324 

Berlin,  August  i,  1914. 


Opening  of  the  Reichstag 324 

Berlin,  August  4,  1914. 

To  the  Army  and  Navy 327 

Berlin,  August  6,  1914. 

Proclamation  to  the  German  People 328 

Berlin,  August  6,  1914.  ""^ 


XVI 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

William  II,  German  Emperor Frontispiece 


FACING    PAGE 


The  Emperor  in   the  Year  of  His  Coronation,  1888 

(Age  29) 26 


"Our  Future  Lies  upon  the  Water."     The  Emperor 

on  Shipboard  in  the  Autumn  of  1898      .       .       .      126 


The  Emperor  in  1900 168 


I 

THE  HOHENZOLLERN 
TRADITION 

Ernest  Renan,  the  author  of  that  once  heret- 
ical "Life  of  Jesus,"  was  by  temperament  unen- 
thusiastic  and  had  further  schooled  himself  to 
look  upon  all  human  events  with  high  uncon- 
cern. The  great  sceptic  had  been  born  in  1823; 
he  was  therefore  sixty-five  at  the  time  of  the  ac- 
cession of  William  II,  and  his  declining  health,  in 
Horatian  phrase,  refused  to  allow  him  to  enter 
upon  any  long  hope.  In  looking  forward  to  his 
inevitable  end  one  thing,  he  said,  afflicted  him. 
He  regretted  only  that  he  was  not  to  see,  in  its 
later  and  more  decisive  phases,  the  unfolding  of 
the  multiform  personaHty  of  the  new  German 
Emperor.  To  him  it  was  an  intellectual  puzzle, 
more  intricate  and  more  interesting  than  any  he 
had  encountered  in  the  many  cycles  of  the  history 
of  the  Hebrews  or  in  the  complicated  schisms  of 
the  church.  In  the  early  years  of  his  reign  the 
youthful  Emperor  was  regarded  with   much  in- 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

terest  and  some  concern  by  his  contemporaries 
generally.  He  was  the  chameleon  among  the 
royal  figures  of  Europe.  One  day  he  receives  the 
Czar  at  Berlin  and  proclaims  peace  to  the  world. 
A  few  weeks  later  he  visits  the  Sultan  at  Constan- 
tinople, and  shortly  thereafter  he  announces  to 
his  loyal  Brandenburgers  that  he  will  lead  them 
on  to  greater  things.  What  did  he  mean  ?  Now 
he  is  a  soldier,  jesting  with  his  officers;  and,  with 
the  rising  of  another  sun,  in  workman's  garb,  with 
the  axe  upon  his  shoulder,  he  goes  forth  as  wood- 
man or  laborer  on  his  own  estates.  At  home  he 
was  regarded  as  Benjamin  Constant  regarded 
Madame  de  Stael.  He  was  the  ''hel  or  age"  the 
beautiful  storm  which  had  come  upon  Europe  in 
the  dull  and  piping  times  of  peace  of  the  last 
decades  of  the  nineteenth  century.  He  cleared 
the  air  of  Continental  politics  in  the  years  of  late 
Victorianism.  He  was  a  dilettante  of  dangerous 
activities,  as  Renan  had  been  of  antiquated  heresies 
and  harmless,  outworn  systems,  and  to  him  Fate 
seemed  to  have  given  the  future  as  a  toy.  Such, 
at  least,  was  the  view  of  the  famous  Portuguese 
poet  E9a  de  Queiroz,  who  cast  his  horoscope  in 
1891. 

A  quarter  century  of  peace  had  removed  much 
apprehension.  After  the  dismissal  of  Bismarck 
he  had  shaped  his  own  policy  and  gone  his  own 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

way.  To  his  great  advisers  he  had  seemed  to 
say:  ^'Ote-toi  que  je  my  mette!^  Yet  his  career 
had  ceased  to  disquiet,  and  the  youthful  exuber- 
ance had  given  way  to  mature  and  conscientious 
labor.  With  unshakable  confidence  in  himself  and 
with  a  determined  application  he  was  making 
Germany  the  greatest  state  in  Europe.  To  those 
who,  unlike  Renan,  did  not  have  the  misfortune 
to  have  been  born  too  soon  to  be  his  later  con- 
temporaries, the  riddle  seemed  to  be  solving 
itself  to  the  greater  good  of  humanity.  The  Em- 
peror's army,  so  he  tells  us  himself,  is  invincible. 
Never  has  Germany  been  defeated  so  long  as  she 
was  united,  and  God,  who  has  taken  such  infinite 
pains  with  us,  will  never  leave  us  *Sn  the  lurch." 
By  means  of  this  powerful,  unconquerable  army, 
at  whose  side  he  had  now  set  one  of  the  greatest 
fleets  on  the  seas,  he  had,  so  he  told  us,  laid  firm 
and  sure  the  foundations  of  peace. 

Then  suddenly  "the  abyss  is  opened,  .  .  . 
the  sword  is  thrust  into  his  hand,"  and  reluc- 
tantly and  with  a  heavy  heart  he  goes  forth  to  do 
battle.  Like  a  shuttle  he  flits  from  frontier  to 
frontier,  now  planning  an  invasion  of  England, 
now  supervising  the  readministration  of  Belgian 
industries,  and  now  directing  a  battle  in  Poland. 
Surely  such  a  destiny,  so  immense  a  power,  has 
been  granted  to  no  man.     It  may  be  he  is  the 

3 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

great  predestined  victim;  it  may  be  that  Time 
is  preparing  for  him  a  final  and  well-earned 
European  triumph. 

What  shall  be  the  end,  and  where  lies  the  re- 
sponsibility ?  No  ethical  or  political  problem  of 
our  time  forces  itself  upon  us  with  greater  insist- 
ence. His  utterances  may  help  to  make  the 
question  if  not  the  answer  clear.  Looking  for- 
ward dispassionately  twenty-three  years  ago  that 
Portuguese  student  prophesied  that  this  could 
not  last,  that  there  would  be  war;  and  in  the  light 
of  later  events  that  prophecy  about  **the  allied 
armies"  has  been  recently  recalled.  It  was  in 
these  words  that  he  closed  his  briUiant  study  of 
the  youthful  Emperor  and  King: 

**WiUiam  II  runs  the  awful  danger  of  being 
cast  down  Gemoniae.  He  boldly  takes  upon 
himself  responsibilities  which  in  all  nations  are 
divided  among  various  bodies  of  the  state — he 
alone  judges,  he  alone  executes,  because  to  him 
alone  it  is  (not  to  his  ministers,  to  his  council,  or 
to  his  parHament)  that  God,  the  God  of  the 
HohenzoUerns,  imparts  his  transcendental  in- 
spiration. He  must  therefore  be  infalhble  and 
invincible.  At  the  first  disaster — whether  it  be 
inflicted  by  his  burghers  or  by  his  people  in  the 
streets  of  Berlin,  or  by  allied  armies  on  the  plains 
of  Europe — Germany  will  at  once  conclude  that 

4 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

his  much-vaunted  alliance  with  God  was  the  trick 
of  a  wily  despot. 

"Then  will  there  not  be  stones  enough  from 
Lorraine  to  Pomerania  to  stone  this  counterfeit 
Moses.  William  II  is  in  very  truth  casting 
against  fate  those  terrible  'iron  dice'  to  which 
the  now-forgotten  Bismarck  once  alluded.  If  he 
win  he  may  have  within  and  without  the  frontiers 
altars  such  as  were  raised  to  Augustus;  should 
he  lose,  exile,  the  traditional  exile,  in  England 
awaits  him  —  a  degraded  exile,  the  exile  with 
which  he  so  sternly  threatens  those  who  deny  his 
infallibility. 

"M.  Renan  is  therefore  quite  right:  there  is 
nothing  more  attractive  at  this  period  of  the  cen- 
tury than  to  witness  the  final  development  of 
William  II.  In  the  course  of  years  (may  God 
make  them  slow  and  lengthy !)  this  youth,  ardent, 
pleasing,  fertile  in  imagination,  of  sincere,  perhaps 
heroic,  soul,  may  be  sitting  in  calm  majesty  in  his 
Berlin  Schloss  presiding  over  the  destinies  of 
Europe — or  he  may  be  in  the  Hotel  Metropole 
in  London  sadly  unpacking  from  his  exile's  hand- 
bag the  battered  double  crown  of  Prussia  and 
Germany." 

This  drama  of  a  life  is  twenty-three  years 
nearer  its  climax  than  it  was  when  Renan  bade 

5 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

the  world  good  night.  With  a  certain  finaHty  of 
pathos  a  Greek  poet  whom  Renan  loved,  thinking 
doubtless  of  his  unhappy  countrymen  who  had 
fallen  in  the  long  wars  between  Athens  and 
Sparta,  had  said:  "They  that  have  died  are  not 
sick,  nor  do  they  possess  any  evil  things."  If 
this  be  true,  quite  possibly,  then,  the  world  was 
kinder  to  this  aged  Frenchman  than  he  shall  ever 
know.  For  the  disasters  which  were  to  follow 
the  rising  star  of  the  Emperor,  which  he  regarded 
so  curiously,  were  to  be  far  greater  than  he  had 
ever  dreamed.  It  may  be,  therefore,  that  it  is  he 
and  not  some  of  his  younger  countrymen  who  are 
to  be  congratulated  on  the  bournes  which  marked 
the  time  of  his  coming  and  his  passing. 

The  question  of  the  responsibility  of  the  Em- 
peror and  the  limits  of  his  power  is  one  which  per- 
haps only  time  can  decide.  Undeniably  Germany 
has  a  written  Constitution.  But  that  Constitu- 
tion is  of  comparatively  recent  date  (April  i6, 
1 871).  It  is  not  looked  upon,  as  is  the  American 
Constitution,  as  the  source  of  Germany's  poUtical 
life.  It  is  the  empire  and  not  the  Constitution 
that  is  holy.  Struggles  for  personal  liberty  find 
little  place  in  the  history  of  Prussia.  They  have 
no  Cromwell,  no  Washington,  no  Robespierre, 
and,  significantly  too,  they  have  had  in  times 
past  no  Ravaillac  and  no  Guiteau.    There,  still,  a 

6 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

certain  majesty  doth  hedge  about  a  king.  The 
old  idea  of  fealty,  of  deutsche  Treue,  which  led 
the  retainers  of  Teutonic  chiefs  or  rulers  to  sub- 
mit uncomplainingly  to  every  abuse  and  all  op- 
pression and  to  follow  their  lords  into  misfortune 
and  into  exile,  though  it  has  doubtless  waned, 
nevertheless  retains  some  vestiges  of  its  traditional 
force  even  to-day. 

When,  therefore,  in  1878,  by  a  curious  coin- 
cidence, two  attempts  were  made  upon  the  life 
of  Emperor  William  I  (one  by  Hodel,  an  irrespon- 
sible person  of  diseased  mind  and  body,  who  had 
been  dismissed  from  the  Social  Democratic  party; 
and  another  by  NobiHng,  who  was  not  a  Social 
Democrat),  Bismarck  immediately  and  easily 
seized  this  occasion  to  crush  Social  Democracy 
and  increase  the  imperial  power.  He  dissolved 
the  Reichstag,  and  in  one  month  the  law-courts 
inflicted  no  less  than  five  hundred  years  of  im- 
prisonment for  lese-majeste.  Within  eight  months 
the  authorities  dissolved  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
two  workingmen's  unions,  suppressed  one  hundred 
and  twenty-seven  periodical  and  two  hundred 
and  seventy-eight  other  publications,  and  in- 
numerable hona-fide  co-operative  societies  were 
compelled  by  the  police  to  close  their  doors  with- 
out trial  and  with  no  possibility  of  appeal.  With 
equal  despatch  numerous  Social  Democrats  were 

7 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

expelled  from  Germany  on  a  few  days'  notice. 
This  traditional  attitude  toward  the  Social  Demo- 
crat, who  from  our  standpoint  is  the  German 
radical  and  liberal,  appears  again  in  the  present 
Emperor  when  he  declares  (May  14,  1889)  that 
every  Social  Democrat  is  synonymous  with  enemy 
of  the  country.  How  Social  Democracy  has  grown 
in  spite  of  the  Emperor's  attempt  to  check  it 
will  be  evident  from  a  consideration  of  the  follow- 
ing figures,  in  which  the  forty  political  parties  are 
grouped  into  their  four  larger  divisions: 


1871 

1881 

1893 

1907 

1912 

Right,   or   Con- 
servative   

Liberal 

895,000 

1,884,000 

973,000 

124,000 

1,210,000 
1,948,000 
1,618,000 

312,000 

1,806,000 
2,102,000 
1,920,000 

1,787,000 

2,151,000 
3,078,000 
2,779,000 

3,259,000 

1,149,916 

3,227,846 
2,012,990 

4,238,919 

Clerical 

Social   Demo- 
crats  

In  spite  of  this  representation  in  the  Reichstag, 
the  power  of  the  German  political  parties  is  slight. 
The  power  lies  far  more  with  the  Emperor  and  the 
Bundesrat.  According  to  Article  II  of  the  Con- 
stitution, the  Emperor  represents  the  empire  in- 
ternationally and  can  declare  war  if  defensive 
(in  German  eyes  the  present  is  a  defensive  war), 
can  make  peace  as  well  as  enter  into  treaties  with 
other  nations,  and  appoint  and  receive  ambas- 

8 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

sadors.  When  treaties  are  related  to  matters 
regulated  by  imperial  legislation,  and  when  war 
is  not  merely  defensive,  the  Emperor  must  have 
the  consent  of  the  Bundesrat,  in  which,  together 
with  the  Reichstag,  are  vested  the  legislative 
functions  of  the  empire.  But  de  facto,  and  through 
her  power  of  veto,  Prussia  controls  the  Bundesrat, 
and  as  King  of  Prussia  the  Emperor  controls 
Prussia. 

That,  even  so,  the  Constitution  is  not  the  real 
and  final  source  of  political  power,  but  a  convenient 
political  instrument,  which  in  the  mind  of  so  great 
an  authority  as  Bismarck  might  still  easily  be 
changed  without  consulting  the  people,  we  may 
gather  from  the  fact  that  the  Great  Chancellor 
frequently  debated  the  question  of  Hmiting  the 
suffrage.  "The  blind  Hodhur*  [the  German  elec- 
tor] does  not  know  how  to  manipulate  in  his  coarse 
hands  the  Nuremberg  toy  [the  Reichstag]  which 
I  gave  him,  and  through  his  voting  he  is  ruining 
the  Fatherland."  According  to  Hohenlohe,  Bis- 
marck considered  setting  aside  the  Reichstag  and 
returning  to  the  old  Bundestag. 

The  late  Price  Collier,  an  enthusiastic  admirer 
of  Germany,  is  therefore  quite  justified  in  saying: 
**This  Reichstag  is  really  only  nominally  a  por- 

*In  Norse  mythology  Hodhur  was  the  powerful  blind  god  who 
slew  Balder. 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

tion  of  the  governing  body.  It  has  the  right  to 
refuse  a  bill  presented  by  the  government,  but 
if  it  does  so  it  may  be  summarily  dismissed,  as 
has  happened  several  times,  and  another  election 
usually  provides  a  more  amenable  body."  And 
if  the  following  judgment  seems  somewhat  down- 
right, it  is  none  the  less  substantially  true: 

"The  fact  that  the  members  of  the  Reichstag 
are  not  in  the  saddle  but  are  used  unwillingly 
and  often  contemptuously  as  a  necessary  and  often 
stubborn  and  unruly  pack-animal  by  the  Kaiser- 
appointed  ministers,  the  fact  that  they  are  pricked 
forward  or  induced  to  move  by  a  tempting  feed 
held  just  beyond  the  nose  has  something  to  do, 
no  doubt,  with  the  lack  of  unanimity  which  exists. 
The  diverse  elements  debate  with  one  another  and 
waste  their  energy  in  rebukes  and  recriminations 
which  lead  nowhere  and  result  in  nothing.  I  have 
listened  to  many  debates  in  the  Reichstag  where 
the  one  aim  of  the  speeches  seemed  to  be  merely 
to  unburden  the  soul  of  the  speaker.  He  had  no 
plan,  no  proposal,  no  solution,  merely  a  confession 
to  make.  After  forty-odd  years  the  Germans,  in 
many  ways  the  most  cultivated  nation  in  the 
world,  are  still  without  real  representative  gov- 
ernment." 

History,  to  be  sure,  may  be  read  in  many  ways, 
but  from  one  standpoint  it  is  perfectly  possible  to 

lO 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

regard  the  framing  of  the  present  Constitution 
and  the  building  up  of  the  present  German  Em- 
pire not  as  the  last  stage  in  the  attempt  to  give 
freedom  and  self-government  to  the  German  peo- 
ple, but  to  guarantee  and  maintain  the  supremacy 
of  Prussia.  Whether  or  not  this  is  a  possible 
view,  it  is,  in  any  case,  one  occasionally  to  be 
found  implied  in  the  speeches  of  the  Emperor, 
and  it  came  to  open  expression  in  the  statement 
of  WiUiam  I  that  the  empire  was  merely  a 
"greater  Prussia."  So,  too,  when  a  few  years 
ago  Alsace-Lorraine  proved  itself  recalcitrant  to 
the  wishes  of  its  imperial  master,  he  threatened 
that  he  would  make  of  it  a  ** Prussian  province."* 

It  need,  therefore,  not  appear  as  startling  as 
would  otherwise  be  the  case  if  on  occasions  which 
to  us  would  seem  peculiarly  appropriate  (as,  for 
instance,  the  famous  Konigsberg  speech,  August 
25,  1910)  the  Emperor  makes  no  mention  what- 
ever of  the  Constitution.  The  sources  of  his  power 
and  the  sanction  for  his  authority  he  finds  not  in 
this  instrument  but  in  the  history  of  his  ancestors. 

To  understand  the  personality  and  the  speeches 


*0n  this  occasion  a  Socialist  orator  deckred  in  the  Reichstag: 
"We  salute  the  imperial  words  as  the  confession,  full  of  weight  and 
coming  from  a  competent  source,  that  annexation  to  Prussia  is  the 
heaviest  punishment  that  one  can  threaten  to  impose  upon  a  people 
for  its  resistance  against  Germany.  It  is  a  punishment  like  hard 
labor  in  the  penitentiary,  with  loss  of  civil  rights." 

II 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

of  the  Emperor  it  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  re- 
call that  he  is  also  King  of  Prussia  and  that  the 
foundation  of  his  ancestors'  rule  was  laid  in  the 
province  of  Brandenburg,  of  which  they  became 
some  centuries  ago  the  margraves  and  electors. 
In  1300  Prussia  was  a  wilderness  inhabited  by 
savages  who  were  ruthlessly  massacred  by  the 
Teutonic  knights.  It  was  looked  upon  as  lying 
outside  the  German  Empire.  Through  the  knights 
the  country  was  converted  to  Christianity,  and  the 
reduced  native  population  was  largely  augmented 
by  immigration  from  other  German  states. 

Although  the  Emperor  is  not  slow  to  accept 
traditions  with  regard  to  his  house,  he  never  men- 
tions the  old  shoot  in  the  genealogical  tree  of  an 
elector  which  carries  us  back  to  one  of  the  fugi- 
tives who  fled  from  Troy  with  ^neas.  ForjDur.^ 
purposes,  it  was  not  unti^^j^j  that  a  cojint  of 
Hoh^nzollem  first  came  into  prommence,  when, 


after  a  fortunate  marriage,  he  became  burgrave 
of  Nuremberg  and  prince  of  the  Holy  Roman  Em- 
pire. With  the  exception  of  Frederick  William  II, 
they  have  been  a  thrifty  race.  A  little  more  than  a 
century  later  there  appears  in  history  that  one  of 
the  Emperor's  ancestors  to  whom  he  frequently 
refers  as  the  founder  of  his  house  and  that  one 
who  began  to  acquire  for  it  divine  right. 

Frederick  VI  of  Hohenzollern  had  already  come 
12 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

into  prominence  through  the  fact  that  he  had  cast 
in  his  lot  with  King  Sigismund  of  Hungary.  The 
services  which  he  rendered  the  King,  however 
valuable,  were  not  altogether  disinterested,  and  it 
is  said  that  he  largely  increased  his  fortune  thereby. 
He  seems  not  to  have  been  content  with  mere 
promises,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  record  that  Sigis- 
mund pledged  to  him  certain  districts  in  Hungary 
as  security  for  40,000  gulden.  As  Frederick  was 
to  lay  the  foundation  for  the  greatness  of  the  house 
of  Hohenzollern  and  as  Emperor  William  is  fond 
of  repeating  that  he  came  to  Brandenburg  in 
obedience  to  a  summons  from  on  high,  this  chapter 
in  the  history  of  the  Emperor's  house  is  particu- 
larly significant  and  interesting. 

For  some  time  previously  Brandenburg  had 
been  unfortunate  in  its  rulers  and  had  frequently 
changed  hands.  In  1373  it  had  been  sold  for 
500,000  gulden  to  Emperor  Charles  IV,  who 
turned  it  over  to  his  son  Wenceslaus.  In  1378 
it  passed  to  Wenceslaus'  half  brother,  the  Sigis- 
mund mentioned  above.  Sigismund  was  in 
financial  difficulty.  A  few  years  later,  therefore, 
he  pledged  the  mark  of  Brandenburg  to  his 
cousins  Jobst  and  Procop  of  Moravia  as  security 
for  a  loan  of  500,000  gulden.  Sigismund  de- 
faulted payment  in  1393,  so  that  the  margraviate 
passed  to  them.     In  1410  Sigismund  eagerly  de- 

13 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

sired  to  be  elected  Emperor  of  Germany.  He 
entrusted  the  management  of  what  might  quite 
properly  be  called  his  "campaign"  to  Frederick 
of  Hohenzollern.  Jobst  of  Moravia,  who,  as  we 
have  seen,  now  had  claims  to  Brandenburg  was  a 
rival  candidate.  Sigismund,  without  deigning  to 
make  repayment,  coolly  declared  that  the  trans- 
action with  Jobst  concerning  Brandenburg  was 
null  and  void  and  instructed  Frederick  to  cast  the 
vote  for  the  mark.  To  this  vote  Frederick  clearly 
(if  anything  in  these  complicated  proceedings 
is  clear)  had  no  right.  He  none  the  less  managed 
the  campaign  and  in  a  "snap"  election  cast  the 
vote  of  Brandenburg  with  assurance.  This  at 
least  was  the  view  of  other  electors,  and  this  high- 
handed performance  did  not  meet  with  their  ap- 
proval. They  called  a  rival  council  and  elected 
Jobst  to  the  imperial  dignity.  For  both  Sigis- 
mund and  Frederick  it  was  "fortunate"  (we  take 
the  word  from  the  Prussian  historian  Eberty) 
that  Jobst  died  shortly  after.  It  is  perhaps  un- 
fortunate that  it  should  have  been  suspected  ever 
since  that  he  died  of  poison. 

Sigismund  himself  seems  to  have  been  some- 
what doubtful  about  the  validity  of  that  election 
which  Frederick  had  compassed  and  after  the 
death  of  Jobst  had  himself  re-elected  and  was 
finally  acknowledged  as  Emperor.     If  the  times 

14 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

were  bad,  Sigismund  and  Jobst  were  no  better 
than  their  times.  It  was  this  same  Sigismund 
who,  after  having  granted  a  safe  conduct  to  the 
great  reformer  John  Huss,  allowed  him  to  be 
judicially  murdered,  a  proceeding  which  made 
even  Charles  V  blush  for  the  empire. 

For  the  purpose  of  electing  Sigismund,  Frederick 
had  incurred  considerable  expense,  amounting  to 
some  hundred  thousand  gulden.  It  is  perhaps 
again  fortunate  for  all  concerned  and  for  the 
honor  of  the  venal  empire  that  no  bill  of  partic- 
ulars specifying  the  uses  of  this  fund  is  now  avail- 
able, if  any  was  ever  rendered.  That  Frederick, 
however,  had  not  served  Sigismund  ''pour  V amour 
de  Dieu''  is  plain  from  the  fact  that  he  again  took 
security  for  his  advances.  This  time  he  was 
given  the  unhappy  mark  of  Brandenburg  which, 
as  we  have  seen,  had  belonged  to  Jobst  by  virtue 
of  a  mortgage  which  Sigismund  had  never  taken 
the  trouble  to  discharge. 

If,  then,  the  law  of  God  is  at  all  similar  to  the 
law  recognized  by  men,  Sigismund  had  no  right 
to  give  and  the  ancestor  of  WilHam  II  no  legal 
right  to  accept  that  province.  The  right  by  which 
Frederick  came  into  possession  of  this  first  state 
of  the  later  German  Empire  was,  consequently,  a 
right  quite  different  from  rights  generally  recog- 
nized. This,  therefore,  must  be  that  "divine  right" 

IS 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

which  WilHam  II  is  so  fond  of  proclaiming.  At  its 
best,  the  document  of  June  7,  141 1,  which  gave 
the  HohenzoUerns  their  first  claim  to  their  first 
province  was  in  reality  a  mortgage  to  a  piece 
of  property  of  doubtful  title,  and  if  the  rather 
florid  style  of  that  document  seems  to  bring  in 
the  business  transaction  as  something  quite  in- 
cidental, it  is  altogether  similar  to  the  forms  in 
which  other  mortgages  were  couched  in  those 
days.  That  this  was  so  is  further  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that  the  Brandenburg  cities  looked  upon  Fred- 
erick as  the  holder  of  a  mortgage  and  did  homage 
to  him  ''zu  seinem  Gelde' — "for  his  money"; 
that  is,  they  recognized  that  they  were  bound  to 
him  only  until  he  should  be  paid.  The  nobles  did 
not  do  homage  to  him  at  all.  After  "the  rain  of 
margraves"  of  the  previous  decades,  it  is  not 
strange  that  they  should  have  been  slow  to  rec- 
ognize their  latest  overlord.  Emperor  William 
II  is,  therefore,  quite  right  when  he  describes  the 
mark  of  May,  141 2,  as  devastated,  unruly,  and 
altogether  unpromising.  It  could  hardly  have 
been  otherwise.  Before  Frederick  was  invested 
with  Brandenburg  (and  he  was  formally  invested 
only  after  a  further  payment  of  400,000  gulden), 
in  1417,  his  princely  possessions  included  merely 
partial  claims  to  smaller  districts  Hke  Ansbach 
and  Bayreuth,  which  he  shared  with  his  brother 

16 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

John.  In  spite  of  Frederick  of  Hohenzollern's  devo- 
tion to  the  cause  of  religion,  the  Shakespearean 
motto,  ** Thrift,  thrift,  Horatio,"  may  be  taken  to 
explain  satisfactorily  his  conduct  in  this  regard. 
That  the  nobles  would  be  unruly  he  must  have 
expected.  His  own  activities  and  his  acceptance 
of  the  mark  had  helped  to  make  them  so.  Fred- 
erick's later  service  consisted  in  dispelling  a  con- 
fusion which  he  had  helped  to  create. 

In  these  larger  transactions  the  first  great 
Hohenzollern  does  not  seem  to  have  been  given 
to  listening  to  the  still  small  voice.  Incidentally, 
he  was  later  to  turn  against  Sigismund.  The 
assumption,  therefore,  that  he  left  his  southern 
home  for  the  mark  out  of  heed  for  a  divine  call, 
as  Emperor  William  in  his  speech  of  February  3, 
1899,  tells  us  that  he  did,  is  historically,  like  La- 
place's God,  a  useless  hypothesis.  Self-interest, 
for  which  he  seems  to  have  had  a  fairly  keen  sense, 
would  have  impelled  him  to  do  no  less.  Yet  it  is 
upon  the  faits  et  gestes  of  Frederick  of  Hohen- 
zollern that  Emperor  William  II  bases  his  claims 
to  rule  Germany  by  divine  right. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  mortgage  was  not  dis- 
charged, and  Frederick  had  been  formally  invested 
with  the  margraviate  and  electorship  in  1417. 
He  Hfted  the  mark  out  of  the  deplorable  condition 
in  which  he  found  it,  compelled  obedience,  and 

17 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

during  the  period  of  his  rule — he  died  in  1440 — 
its  lot  was  much  improved  and  the  power  of  the 
house  of  Hohenzollern  much  strengthened.  His- 
tory must  give  him  credit  for  his  ability  and  his 
difficult  achievement  if  not  for  his  motives. 

In  the  process  of  establishing  himself,  his  rule, 
like  that  of  his  successors  was  the  rule  of  the 
sword  and  his  policy  the  Machtpolitik,  or  policy 
of  force.  In  spite  of  her  comparative  poverty, 
therefore,  Prussia  in  the  seventeenth  and  eight- 
eenth centuries  maintained  an  army  larger  than 
that  of  Austria  or  France.  The  connection  be- 
tween the  ruler  and  the  army  in  a  state  which 
was  founded  and  maintained  by  force  of  arms 
was,  therefore,  and  remains  in  modern  Prussia  so 
close  that  the  Emperor  is  from  the  standpoint  of 
tradition  justified  in  repeating  that  "the  only 
pillar  on  which  the  empire  rests  is  the  army.'* 
It  was  literally  ein  Folk  in  Waffen^  a  people  in 
arms.  The  first  really  outstanding  ruler  of  the 
province  was  the  Great  Elector  (1620-88),  who 
has  always  been  cited  by  William  II  as  his  model 
and  of  whom  he  speaks  with  a  respect  that  amounts 
to  veneration. 

He  was  born  in  Berlin  and,  after  passing  part 
of  his  youth  in  the  Netherlands,  became  ruler  of 
Brandenburg  and  Prussia  in  1640,  before  the 
close  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War.     He  restored  the 

18 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

prestige  of  the  army  and  centralized  the  govern- 
ment and,  we  are  informed  by  recognized  author- 
ities, by  a  clever  but  unscrupulous  use  of  his 
intermediate  position  between  Sweden  and  Po- 
land, procured  his  recognition  as  an  independent 
Duke  of  Prussia  by  both  powers  and  eventually 
succeeded  in  crushing  the  stubborn  and  pro- 
tracted opposition  which  was  oflFered  to  his  au- 
thority by  the  estates  of  the  duchy.  His  success 
in  organizing  the  army  was  proved  by  his  great 
victory  over  the  Swedes  at  Fehrbellin,  1675. 

From  childhood  the  Emperor  has  worshipped 
the  Great  Elector  as  his  favorite  hero.  In  their 
policies  there  is  a  striking  similarity,  for  the  elector 
was  the  first  to  recognize  the  importance  of  sea 
power  and  is  praised  by  William  II  for  having 
founded  the  Prussian  navy  and  for  having  en- 
couraged commerce.  He  built  the  first  great 
German  canal,  from  the  Oder  to  the  Spree  (an- 
other lead  which  the  present  Emperor  was  to  fol- 
low), and  he  inaugurated  the  colonial  poHcy  by 
founding  a  settlement  on  the  west  African  coast. 
This,  likewise,  was  to  be  revived  by  the  present 
Emperor,  for  it  was  allowed  to  lapse  even  under 
Frederick  the  Great,  who  considered  a  "village 
on  the  frontier"  a  much  greater  asset  than  a  state 
oversea.  The  aim  of  the  Great  Elector  was  to 
make  himself  an  absolute  ruler,  as  he  regarded 

19 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

this  best  for  the  internal  and  external  welfare  of 
the  state.  But  he  raised  Brandenburg  and  Prussia 
to  a  high  place  and  laid  the  basis  of  their  later 
power. 

Under  these  lords  and  their  followers  the  prog- 
ress of  Prussia  was  amazingly  rapid.  In  1650, 
when  London  and  Paris  were  cities  of  a  little  more 
or  less  than  half  a  million  inhabitants  and  Am- 
sterdam counted  300,000,  Berlin  was  a  village  of 
10,000.  The  population  of  Prussia  itself,  which, 
to  be  sure,  had  been  more  than  doubled  in  size,  in- 
creased from  1,500,000  in  1688  to  19,000,000  in 
1865.  It  was  in  the  time  of  Frederick  the  Great, 
however,  that  her  power  as  a  state  was  first  firmly 
established.  His  military  genius  (he  is  usually 
said  to  have  originated  "the  oblique  order"  of 
battle)  and  his  policy  of  dissimulation  here  stood 
him  in  good  stead.  He  sowed  discord  among 
his  neighbors  and  awaited  the  favorable  opportu- 
nity to  attack  even  on  very  slight  pretexts  and  in 
the  case  of  Silesia  without  the  formality  of  a 
declaration  of  war.  Like  William  II,  he  was  a 
patron  of  the  arts  and  sciences  and  invited  noted 
litterateurs  and  scientists,  especially  Frenchmen, 
to  his  court.  The  scientist  Maupertuis  and  Vol- 
taire were  his  proteges,  and  the  exiled  Rousseau 
for  a  time  found  refuge  in  his  domains.  He  him- 
self wrote  in  French.     It  is  probably  because  of 

20 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

his  French  sympathies  and  the  fact  that  he  was, 
in  this  regard,  not  a  kerndeutscher  Mann  that  Wil- 
liam II  rarely  speaks  of  him  personally  and  men- 
tions usually  only  his  services  to  his  country. 

Frederick  died  in  1786.  He  had  raised  Prussia 
to  the  position  of  a  first-rate  power  and,  in  Dis- 
raeh's  phrase,  left  it  "regarded  if  not  respected." 
His  successor,  Frederick  WilHam  H,  is  remembered 
mostly  because  of  the  scandalous  character  of  his 
life,  and  he  showed  none  of  the  characteristics  of 
the  energetic  Hohenzollerns.  A  contemporary 
says  of  him:  "He  bears  the  greatest  resemblance 
to  an  Asiatic  prince,  who,  living  within  his  harem 
with  his  slaves  of  both  sexes,  leaves  the  business 
of  the  state  to  his  viziers.  The  wall,  twelve  feet 
in  height,  by  which  the  new  garden  at  Potsdam  is 
enclosed,  reminds  one  of  the  enclosure  of  a 
seraglio."  He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Freder- 
ick William  III,  in  1797.  This  conscientious  but 
ill-starred  ruler  was  to  be  rendered  famous  through 
his  misfortunes  in  the  time  of  Napoleon  and  has 
been  overshadowed  somewhat  in  history  by  his 
beautiful,  devoted,  and  heroic  wife  Louise.  They 
stand  closer  to  modern  history  than  is  generally 
reahzed.  The  present  Emperor  often  mentions 
them  for  their  heroism  and  the  brave  part  they 
played  in  the  War  of  Liberation  and  in  freeing 
their  country  from  the  incubus  of  the  Napoleonic 

21 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

Empire.  They  were  the  parents  of  Emperor 
William  I,  the  illustrious  grandfather  of  the 
present  sovereign.  If,  then,  Emperor  William  II 
frequently  takes  occasion  to  recall  the  memory  of 
1813  it  should  be  remembered  that  in  his  own 
family  these  events  were  very  near  to  him,  since 
his  grandfather  had  spent  his  childhood  in  those 
years  of  humiliation  and  had  served  in  the  allied 
armies  in  the  time  of  Napoleon.  The  man  who 
was  to  become  Emperor  William  I  had  been  born 
as  the  second  son  of  Frederick  WilHam  III  in 
1797.  He  was  to  be  preceded  on  the  throne  by 
his  elder  brother,  Frederick  William  IV,  who,  like 
the  present  Emperor  and  like  Frederick  the  Great, 
was  an  accomplished  lover  of  the  arts,  but  who 
lacked  the  strength  to  guide  his  country  with  a 
sure  hand  through  the  troubled  years  of  the  forties. 
He  became  afflicted  in  his  last  years  with  hopeless 
mental  disease,  and  his  brother,  after  having  served 
as  regent,  became  King  of  Prussia  as  William  I 
in  1861. 

The  idea  of  uniting  Germany  into  a  single  em- 
pire had  already  been  seriously  agitated  in  the 
time  of  Frederick  WilHam  IV,  but  it  was  under 
his  brother,  largely  through  the  tireless  activity 
and  wonderfully  successful  diplomacy  of  Bis- 
marck, that  this  great  aim  was  to  be  achieved  in 
the  lifetime  of  the  present  Emperor.     It  was  in 

22 


THE  HOHENZOLLERN  TRADITION 

the  chapel  at  Konigsberg  that  William  I  arranged 
for  and  held  his  coronation.  He  cannot  be  said 
to  have  been  crowned;  for  although  his  brother 
had  granted  Prussia  a  constitution  WilHam  him- 
self raised  the  crown  from  the  altar,  set  it  on  his 
own  head,  and  announced  in  a  loud  voice:  *'I  re- 
ceive this  crown  from  God's  hand  and  from  none 
other." 

It  was  such  a  legacy  that  the  present  Emperor 
inherited  when,  after  the  few  months'  reign  of  his 
father,  he  succeeded  to  the  imperial  office;  and  it 
is  this  legacy  and  this  tradition  which,  in  fairness 
to  the  Emperor,  we  must  remember  in  reading 
such  seemingly  strange  pronouncements  as  his  own 
address  at  Konigsberg  in  1910. 

The  later  events  in  German  history  and  the 
subsequent  policies  of  the  empire  are  touched 
upon  in  such  detail  that  further  preamble  is 
hardly  necessary.  That  the  Emperor  has  every- 
where energetically  taken  the  lead  is  undoubted. 
That  he  should  be  held  responsible  in  general  for 
German  diplomacy  is  implied  in  his  position. 
That  he  has  urged  and  directed  the  movement  in 
nearly  every  field  of  endeavor  is  plain  from  the 
varied  character  of  his  addresses.  No  one  can 
doubt  after  reading  him  that  he  desired  peace,  in 
the  sense  that  he  preferred  peace  to  war.  The 
question  that  will  undoubtedly  interest  the  reader 

23 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

most  is  the  problem  of  the  consistency  of  his  vari- 
ous poUcies;  whether,  for  instance,  the  exaggerated 
worship  of  the  army,  the  devout  desire  for  peace, 
and  the  insistent  imperiaUsm  of  his  later  years 
can  be  brought  into  harmony;  whether  they  can 
be  reduced  to  any  common  denominator.  How- 
ever that  may  be,  that  he  has  been  one  of  the 
most  devoted  and  conscientious  servants  of  the 
German  cause  as  he  sees  it  cannot  possibly  be 
denied. 


24 


II 

PRELIMINARIES 

June  15,  1888 — October  30,  1889 
THE  FIRST  OFFICIAL  ACT  OF  THE  EMPEROR 

ScHL0S3  Friedrichskron,  June  15,  1888 

The^aged  Emperor  William  I,  grandfather  of 
WiiTiam  II,  departed  this  Hfe  March  9,  1888. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Frederick  III,  who, 
after  a  reign  of  only  a  few  months,  died  on  June 
15  of  the  same  year.  The  present  Emperor,  who 
was  born  on  January  27,  1859,  was,  therefore, 
twenty-nine  at  the  time  of  his  accession  to  the 
throne.  It  is  characteristic  that  his  first  official 
act  should  have  been^n  order  to  the  army^ 

The  close  connection  between  the  army  and  the 
Prussian  Kings  is  a  tradition  which  William  II 
sedulously  maintained.  In  later  speeches  he  will 
frequently  give  evidence  of  this  desire  on  his  part 
and  will  quote  characteristic  sayings  of  his  an- 
cestors to  the  effect  that  the  army  is  the  *'rocher 
de  bronze,''^  that  it  is  "the  only  pillar  on  which  the 
empire  rests."  He  will  repeat  to  the  army  of- 
ficers that  phrase  of  his  grandfather:  "These  are 
the  gentlemen  upon  whom  I  can  rely."  ^  ^ 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

If  the  extraordinary  versatility  of  William  II 
is  one  of  his  most  striking  qualities,  a  reading  of 
his  speeches  will  convince  us  that  it  is  none  the 
less  true  that  he  is  first  and  foremost  a  soldier. 
By  far  the  great  majority  of  his  speeches  are  on 
military  occasions,  and  it  is  the  martial  triumphs 
of  his  ancestors  that  he  is  most  fond  of  commem- 
orating. He  seems  to  be  most  at  home  with  his 
officers,  and  although  at  one  time  or  another  dif- 
ferences have  arisen  between  him  and  every  party 
or  caste  in  the  empire,  even  including  the  Prus- 
sian nobility,  this  close  relationship  with  the 
army  has  never  been  clouded  by  even  a  momen- 
tary estrangement.  More  than  any  other  one 
subject,  army  reviews  have  provided  the  occasion 
for  his  speeches.  If  but  a  few  of  these  are  given 
here  it  is  because  his  sentiments  in  this  regard 
have  suffered  no  change  and  these  addresses  are 
largely  repetitions  of  his  sense  of  satisfaction 
and  the  expression  of  his  good-will.  That  he 
intended  to  be  the  virtual  leader  of  his  own  host 
is  perhaps  best  indicated  by  the  fact  that  Von 
Moltke  (who  was,  to  be  sure,  an  old  man)  re- 
signed six  weeks  after  his  accession  to  the  throne. 
The  present  war  has  proved  his  capacity  in  this 
regard,  and  the  army  has  certainly  lost  nothing 
in  efficiency  and  has  probably  gained  somewhat 
in  confidence  since  he  took  over  the  direction 
from  his  ancestors  and  their  advisers.  The 
present  order  was  issued  on  the  very  day  of 
his  father's  death.  On  that  same  date  a  some- 
what similar  proclamation  was  addressed  to  the 
navy. 

26 


THE  EMPEROR   IX  THE   YEAR 

OF  HIS  CORONATION.  1888 

[Age  29] 


1888]  THE  FIRST  OFFICIAL  ACT 

Even  ere  you,  my  troops,  had  put  aside  the 
external  signs  of  mourning  for  your  Emperor 
and  King,  William  I,  who  Hves  ever  in  your 
hearts,  you  are  called  upon  to  suffer  another 
heavy  blow  through  the  death  this  morning,  at 
five  minutes  past  eleven,  of  my  dear  and  deeply 
beloved  father,  his  Majesty,  the  Emperor  and 
King,  Frederick  III. 

It  is  in  these  serious  days  of  mourning  that 
God's  will  places  me  at  the  head  of  the  army,  and 
it  is  from  a  heart  stirred  deeply,  indeed,  that  I 
address  my  first  words  to  my  troops. 

I  enter  with  impHcit  confidence,  however,  upon 
this  duty  to  which  God  has  called  me;  for  I  know 
what  a  sense  for  honor  and  duty  has  been  im- 
planted in  the  army  by  my  glorious  ancestors, 
and  I  know  to  what  degree  this  sense  has  ever 
and  at  all  times  displayed  itself. 

The  absolutely  inviolable  dependence  upon  the 
war  lord  [Kriegsherr]  is,  in  the  army,  the  inheri- 
tance which  descends  from  father  to  son,  from 
generation  to  generation.  I  would  direct  your 
gaze  to  my  grandfather,  who  stands  before  the 
eyes  of  all  of  you,  the  glorious  war  lord,  worthy 
of  all  honor — a  spectacle  more  beautiful  than 
any  other  and  one  which  speaks  most  tellingly  to 
our  hearts;  I  would  direct  your  gaze  to  my  dear 
father,  who  even  as  Crown  Prince  won  for  himself 

27 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

a  distinguished  place  in  the  annals  of  the  army, 
and  to  a  long  succession  of  famous  ancestors 
whose  names  are  resplendent  in  history  and  whose 
hearts  beat  warmly  for  the  army. 

So  are  we  bound  together — I  and  the  army — so 
are  we  born  for  one  another,  and  so  shall  we  hold 
together  indissolubly,  whether,  as  God  wills,  we 
are  to  have  peace  or  storm. 

You  are  now  about  to  swear  to  me  the  oath  of 
fidelity  and  obedience,  and  I  vow  that  I  shall  ever 
be  mindful  of  the  fact  that  the  eyes  of  my  fore- 
fathers look  down  upon  me  from  that  other 
world  and  that  I  one  day  shall  have  to  render  up 
to  them  an  account  of  the  fame  and  the  honor  of 

the  army. 

William. 

Castle  Friedrichskron,  June  15,  1888. 


TO  MY  PEOPLE 

Potsdam,  June  18,  1888 

Three  days  after  his  pronouncements  to  the 
army  and  navy  Emperor  William  II  issued  the 
following  proclamation  to  his  people.  In  tempera- 
ment the  son  was  quite  unlike  his  father.  The 
wife  of  Frederick  I  and  the  mother  of  the  present 
Emperor  was  an  EngHsh  princess,  Victoria  (daugh- 
ter of  Queen  Victoria),  and  through  her  Frederick 
is  generally  said  to  have  been  influenced  by  the 

28 


i888]  TO  MY  PEOPLE 

more  liberal  English  tradition.  Critics  of  William 
II  have  occasionally  annoyed  him  by  repeating, 
justly  or  unjustly,  that  his  father  regarded  certain 
elements  in  his  character  with  disapproval.  How- 
ever that  may  be,  it  is  true  that  the  people  re- 
garded Frederick  in  a  different  light  from  that  in 
which  they  have  come  to  regard  his  son.  In  read- 
ing the  speeches  of  WilUam  II  one  is  conscious  of 
the  fact  that  he  is  speaking  from  a  certain  emi- 
nence, that  the  Emperor  never  forgets  that  he  en- 
joys the  advantage  of  position.  He  has,  therefore, 
put  between  himself  and  his  people  a  certain  dis- 
tance which  did  not  exist  in  the  case  of  his  father. 
The  father  treated  his  subjects  as  if  he  were  one  of 
them,  and  it  is  this  fact  that  led  them  fondly  to  call 
him  "  Unser  FritzJ^  However  great  the  respect 
which  they  feel  for  the  son,  none  of  his  subjects 
would  think  of  bestowing  any  such  title  on  Wil- 
liam II,  and,  even  if  they  did,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  he  would  feel  in  any  way  complimented 
thereby.  He  is  in  this  respect  more  like  his  an- 
cestor Frederick  the  Great  than  Hke  his  father 
or  grandfather,  and  it  is  a  striking  fact  that 
in  all  his  speeches  he  never  once  mentions  this 
somewhat  familiar  title,  of  which  his  father  was 
proud. 


God  has  again  hung  about  us  the  pall  of  deepest 
mourning.  Hardly  had  the  grave  closed  upon 
my  ever-memorable  grandfather,  than  his  Majesty, 
my  dearly  beloved  father,  was  called  from  this 

29 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

earthly  sojourn  to  everlasting  peace.  The  heroic 
energy,  born  of  Christian  humility,  with  which, 
unmindful  of  his  sufferings,  he  accomplished  his 
royal  duties  seemed  to  leave  room  for  the  hope 
that  he  would  be  spared  still  longer  to  the  Father- 
land. God  has  willed  it  otherwise.  To  the  royal 
sufferer  whose  heart  was  moved  by  all  that  was 
great  and  beautiful,  only  a  few  months  were  al- 
lotted in  which  he  might  display  upon  the  throne 
the  noble  qualities  of  heart  and  soul  which  have 
won  for  him  the  love  of  his  people.  The  virtues 
which  adorned  him  and  the  victories  which  he 
gained  on  fields  of  battle  will  be  gratefully  remem- 
bered as  long  as  German  hearts  beat,  and  undying 
fame  will  illumine  his  knightly  figure  in  the  history 
of  the  Fatherland. 

Called  to  the  throne  of  my  fathers,  I  have  taken 
over  the  government,  looking  to  the  King  of  all 
kings,  and  have  vowed  to  God,  following  the  ex- 
ample of  my  father,  to  be  a  righteous  and  gentle 
prince,  to  foster  piety  and  the  fear  of  God,  to 
maintain  peace,  to  further  the  welfare  of  the  coun- 
try, to  be  a  help  to  the  poor  and  oppressed,  and 
to  be  to  the  righteous  man  a  true  protector. 

If  I  pray  God  for  strength  to  fulfil  these  royal 
duties  which  He  has  laid  upon  me,  I  am  buoyed 
up  by  that  faith  in  the  Prussian  people  which  a 
consideration  of  our  past  history  confirms  in  me. 

30 


1888]        FIRST  DECLARATION  OF  POLICY 

In  good  and  in  evil  days  Prussia's  people  have 
ever  stood  faithfully  to  their  kings.  I,  too,  count 
upon  this  fidelity,  which  has  ever  been  preserved 
inviolable  toward  my  fathers  in  all  times  of  trial 
and  danger;  for  I  am  conscious  that  I  reciprocate 
it  whole-heartedly,  as  a  faithful  prince  of  a  faith- 
ful people,  and  that  we  are  both  equally  strong  in 
our  devotion  to  a  common  Fatherland.  From  this 
consciousness  of  the  mutual  love  which  binds  me 
to  my  people,  I  derive  the  confidence  that  God  will 
give  me  wisdom  and  strength  to  exercise  my  kingly 
office  for  the  welfare  of  the  Fatherland. 

William. 

Potsdam,  June  i8,  1888. 


FIRST  DECLARATION  OF  POLICY 

Berlin,  June  25,  1888 

After  the  death  of  Frederick  III  the  Reichstag 
was  summoned  to  meet  in  extraordinary  session. 
Most  of  the  affiliated  sovereigns  of  the  German 
states  assembled  to  pay  homage  to  the  youthful 
Emperor.  On  this  occasion  he  made  from  the 
throne  a  declaration  of  policy  which  is  interesting 
as  showing  his  ideas  before  he  was  subjected  to  the 
pressure  of  events.  Before  he  had  succeeded  to 
the  throne  it  had  been  generally  reported,  possi- 
bly because  of  his  known  fondness  for  the  army, 
that  he  was  by  nature  belHcose.  This  report  seri- 
ously distressed  the  new  so  ^ereign,  and  he  began 

31 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

his  reign  with  declarations,  which  have  often  been 
renewed  since,  that  he  would  work  for  peace.  He 
likewise  outlines  his  foreign  policy  and  expresses 
the  hope  that  he  may  further  develop  friendly  re- 
lations with  Russia.  In  this  he  was  to  achieve 
but  little  success,  and  a  few  years  later  the  agree- 
ment which  bound  Russia  to  observe  neutrality 
in  case  Germany  were  involved  in  war  was  al- 
lowed to  lapse,  much  to  the  disgust  of  Bismarck, 
who  at  that  time  had  been  superseded  by  Caprivi. 
Frederick  the  Great  had  warned  his  successors 
that  in  the  future,  in  case  Prussia  wished  to  wage 
any  war,  she  would  first  have  to  assure  herself  of 
the  neutrality  of  Russia.  Bismarck  had  followed 
this  poHcy  and  had  established  it  on  the  basis  of 
an  agreement.  As  the  relationship  to  Russia  was 
to  be  of  particular  consequence,  it  will  be  inter- 
esting to  have  before  us  an  article  which  appeared 
October  26,  1896,  in  the  Hamburger  Nachrich- 
ten,  recognized  as  expressing  the  views  of  the 
great  Chancellor.  It  announces  that  already  in 
Bismarck's  time  the  wire  between  Berlin  and  St. 
Petersburg  was  cut  and  takes  up  certain  events  of 
the  year  1890.  **Up  to  this  time,"  we  are  told, 
**both  empires  were  fully  agreed  that  in  case  one 
of  them  should  be  attacked  the  other  would  pre- 
serve a  benevolent  neutrality.  After  the  depar- 
ture of  Bismarck  this  agreement  was  not  renewed, 
and  if  we  are  correctly  informed  about  events  in 
Berlin,  it  was  not  Russia,  piqued  at  the  change  in 
chancellors,  but  Count  Caprivi  who  declined  to 
continue  this  mutual  assurance,  while  Russia  was 
prepared  to  do  so." 

32 


i888]        FIRST  DECLARATION  OF  POLICY 

Emperor  William's  announcement  with  regard 
to  his  personal  friendship  and  the  interests  of  the 
realm  may  be  taken  as  heralding  a  new  era  in 
German  foreign  policy.  He  inaugurated  what  has 
been  called  ''personal  diplomacy/'  and  felt  that 
it  was  possible  to  arrange  the  relationships  be- 
tween states  by  personally  visiting  and  confer- 
ring with  other  sovereigns.     Shortly  after  his  ac- 


cession^  jJier^forey  he  set  out  or— a— tour  of  the 
European  capitals.  Bismarck,  who  planned  his 
foreign"  relations  on  the  basis  of  race  psychology 
and  possible  future  clashes  of  interests,  opposed 
this  strenuously.  The  visit  to  St.  Petersburg 
(19th  to  24th  of  July,  1888)  gave  rise  to  certain 
unpleasant  scenes  and  was  only  returned  by  the 
Czar  in  a  very  perfunctory  manner  fifteen  months 
later  (October  1 1,  1889).  The  effect  of  the  friendly 
attentions  shown  the  Czar  on  this  occasion  was 
doubtless  weakened  by  the  fact  that,  less  than 
three  weeks  later.  Emperor  WiUiam  felt  called 
upon  to  visit  the  Sultan,  by  whom  he  was  most 
enthusiastically  received  in  Constantinople.  Even 
though  the  Emperor  was  most  sincere  in  his  de- 
sire to  preserve  friendship  with  Russia,  events 
were  to  prove  that  his  method  of  cultivating  diplo- 
matic relations  was  far  less  successful  than  Bis- 
marck's way  of  working  in  silence  and  waiting  for 
events. 

With  regard  to  the  internal  administration  of 
the  realm,  the  problem  that  seemed  most  pressing 
to  William  II  was  the  rapid  growth  of  the  Social 
Democratic  party.  This  problem  had  already  en- 
gaged the  attention  of  William  I  and  of  Bismarck, 

33 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

who  recognized  its  gravity.  But  here,  too,  the 
Emperor  and  Chancellor  were  to  disagree.  The 
former  felt  that  he  could  easily  master  the  situa- 
tion, as  may  be  seen  from  his  remark  to  Bismarck: 
*^ Leave  the  Social  Democrats  to  me."  He  was 
doubtless  sincerely  concerned  for  the  welfare  of 
the  laborer  and  recognized  in  it  one  of  the  sources 
of  the  prosperity  of  the  state.  His  policy  was  to 
be  patriarchal  and,  bluntly  put  in  Shakespearian 
phrase,  amounted  to  giving  them  medicine  to 
make  them  love  him.  But  if,  to  change  the  meta- 
phor, he  offered  them  his  hand  in  a  velvet  glove, 
they  were,  as  may  be  seen  from  his  speech,  soon 
to  discover  that  it  was  a  hand  of  iron. 

Honored  Gentlemen: 

I  greet  you  with  deep  sorrow  in  my  heart,  and  I 
know  that  you  grieve  with  me.  The  recent  mem- 
ory of  my  late  father's  sufferings,  the  astound- 
ing fact  that  three  months  after  the  death  of 
his  Majesty,  Emperor  William  I,  I  am  called  upon 
to  mount  the  throne,  arouses  the  same  feeling  in 
the  hearts  of  all  Germans,  and  our  grief  has  found 
a  sympathetic  response  in  all  countries  of  the 
world.  Under  the  weight  of  this  sorrow,  I  pray 
God  to  give  me  strength  to  fulfil  the  high  office 
to  which  His  will  has  called  me. 

As  I  follow  this  command  I  have  before  my 
eyes  the  example  which  Emperor  William  be- 
queathed to  his    successors  when,   after    serious 

34 


1888]        FIRST  DECLARATION  OF  POLICY 

wars,  he  ruled  with  a  love  of  peace.  This  same 
example  the  reign  of  my  late  father  strove  to 
maintain  in  so  far  as  he  was  not  thwarted  in  his 
aims  by  his  illness  and  death. 

I  have  called  you  together,  Honored  Gentlemen, 
in  order  in  your  presence  to  announce  to  the  Ger- 
man people  that  I  am  determined,  as  Emperor 
and  as  King,  to  follow  in  that  same  path  by  which 
my  late  grandfather  won  for  himself  the  trust  of 
his  allies,  the  love  of  the  German  people,  and  the 
kindly  recognition  of  foreign  countries.  It  lies 
with  God  whether  I  shall  be  successful  in  this  or 
not;   but  earnestly  shall  I  strive  to  that  end. 

The  most  important  tasks  of  the  German  Em- 
peror he  in  the  province  of  establishing  military 
and  political  safety  for  the  realm  from  without 
and  in  supervising  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  the 
empire  within.  The  Constitution  of  the  empire 
forms  the  highest  of  these  laws.  To  guard  and 
defend  it  and  all  those  rights  which  it  secures  to 
both  of  the  legislative  bodies*  of  the  nation  and 
to  every  German  citizen,  as  well  as  those  which 
it  secures  to  the  Emperor  and  to  each  of  the  states 
of  the  union,  and  to  the  reigning  princes,  is  the 
most  important  right  and  duty  of  the  Emperor. 

With  regard  to  legislation  in  the  realm,  accord- 
ing to  the  Constitution  I   am  called  upon  to  act 

*  Bundesrat  and  Reichstag. 
35 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

more  in  my  capacity  as  King  of  Prussia  than  in 
that  as  the  German  Emperor;  but  in  both  it  will 
be  my  aim  to  carry  out  the  work  of  imperial  legis- 
lation in  the  same  spirit  in  which  my  late  grand- 
father began  it.  Especially  do  I  take  to  heart  in 
its  fullest  application  the  message  published  by 
him  on  November  17,  1881,*  and  shall  proceed  in 
that  spirit  to  bring  it  about  that  the  legislation 
for  the  working  population  shall  make  more  secure 
the  protection  which,  in  accordance  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  Christian  ethics,  it  can  afford  the  weak 
and  oppressed  in  the  struggle  for  existence.  I 
hope  it  may  be  possible  in  this  way  more  nearly 
to  eliminate  unhealthy  social  distinctions,  and  I 

*As  this  message  of  Emperor  William  I  was  practically  the  be- 
ginning of  labor  legislation  in  Germany  and  is  several  times  referred 
to,  its  significant  portion  is  given  below.  Emperor  William  I  had 
already  failed  in  his  policy  of  crushing  Socialism  through  drastic 
measures  of  repression.  He  was  now  to  initiate  a  policy  of  attempt- 
ing to  kill  it  with  kindness.  In  spite  of  certain  admirable  provisions, 
this  too  was  to  fail.  The  Social  Democrats  had  learned  from  bitter 
experience  that  they  did  not  enjoy  the  good-will  of  either  the  grand- 
father or  the  grandson,  and  for  this  reason  the  projects  of  social 
legislation  were  looked  upon  with  suspicion  and  accepted  without 
enthusiasm.  The  awkward  and  compromising  nature  of  the  Em- 
peror's position  is  evident  in  the  preamble. 

"Already  in  February  of  this  year  we  expressed  the  conviction 
that  the  healing  of  social  grievances  was  not  to  be  sought  exclusively 
in  the  repression  of  Social  Democratic  excesses,  but  also  in  the  direct 
advancement  of  the  welfare  of  the  laborer.  We  hold  it  to  be  our 
royal  duty  to  impress  this  matter  upon  the  Reichstag,  and  we  would 
look  back  with  greater  satisfaction  upon  all  the  achievements  with 
which  God  has  blessed  our  reign  if  we  could  carry  away  with  us  the 
conviction  that  we  had  left  to  the  Fatherland  new  and  lasting  pledges 
of  internal  peace  and  to  those  in  need  of  help  greater  security  and 

36 


1888]       FIRST  DECLARATION  OF  POLICY 

cherish  the  hope  that  in  fostering  our  internal 
welfare  I  shall  receive  the  harmonious  support  of 
all  true  subjects  of  the  realm,  without  division  of 
party. 

I  hold  it,  however,  likewise  my  duty  to  see  to 
it  that  our  political  and  social  development  pro- 
ceeds according  to  law  and  to  meet  with  firmness 
any  attempt  which  aims  at  undermining  the  order 
of  the  state. 

In  foreign  pohtics  I   am  determined  to  keep 

peace  with  every  one  in  so  far  as  in  me  lies.     My 

love  for  the  German  army  and  my  position  in  it 

iwill  never  lead  me  into  the  temptation  of  robbing 

:he  country  of  the  benefits  of  peace,  unless  some 

iJtovisions  for  support,  upon  which  they  may  make  rightful  claim. 
In  our  attempts  to  this  end  we  are  sure  of  the  support  of  all  the  af- 
filiated governments  and  count  upon  the  support  of  the  Reichstag 
without  distinction  of  parties.  To  this  end  a  draft  of  a  bill  for  the 
protection  of  laborers  against  accidents,  which  was  presented  by  the 
affiliated  governments  in  the  previous  session,  will  be  reformulated 
in  view  of  the  discussions  held  in  the  Reichstag  and  will  be  offered 
for  further  consideration.  As  a  supplement  to  it,  a  project  will  be 
brought  forward  which  proposes  a  similar  organization  of  the  funds 
for  laboring  men's  sick  insurance.  But  those,  too,  who  on  account 
of  age  or  infirmity  are  no  longer  able  to  work  have  just  claim  upon 
the  community  for  a  higher  degree  of  governmental  protection 
than  it  has  previously  been  possible  to  accord  them.  To  find  the 
proper  ways  and  means  for  making  such  provision  is  one  of  the  most 
difficult  but  one  of  the  highest  tasks  of  any  society  which  is  based 
upon  the  foundations  of  a  Christian  national  life.  By  calling  upon 
the  sources  of  this  strong  national  life  and  organizing  it  into  in- 
corporated associations  under  state  protection  we  hope  to  bring 
about  the  solution  of  problems  which  the  state  alone  could  not  solve 
with  the  same  success.  But  even  in  this  way  the  goal  cannot  be 
reached  without  the  employment  of  important  means." 

37 

74030 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

attack  upon  the  empire,  or  her  allies,  forces  war 
upon  us.  The  army  is  to  make  our  peace  secure; 
yet  if  that  should,  nevertheless,  be  threatened,  the 
army  will  be  able  to  re-establish  it  with  honor. 
And  it  will  be  able  to  do  so  by  reason  of  the 
strength  which  it  has  received  from  the  last  army 
bill,  which  you  voted  unanimously.  To  make  use 
of  that  force  to  wage  a  war  of  aggression  Hes  far 
from  my  thoughts.  Germany  needs  no  new  mar- 
tial glory  nor  any  conquest  of  whatever  sort  after 
she  has,  once  for  all,  established  her  right  to  exist 
as  a  single  and  independent  nation. 

Our  alliance  with  Austria-Hungary  is  publicly 
known;  I  hold  fast  to  this  in  German  faith  not 
only  because  it  is  concluded  but  because  I  per- 
ceive in  this  defensive  alliance  a  basis  for  European 
balance  of  power  as  well  as  a  legacy  from  German 
history.  The  public  opinion  of  the  entire  Ger- 
man people  supports  this  alliance,  and  it  is  founded 
upon  the  European  law  of  nations,  as  it  prevailed 
undisputed  until  1866.  Similar  historical  rela- 
tions, and  the  fact  that  we  have  similar  national 
needs  to-day,  ally  us  with  Italy.  Both  nations 
wish  to  hold  fast  to  the  blessings  of  peace  in  order 
to  devote  themselves  undisturbed  to  the  strength- 
ening of  their  newly  acquired  unity,  to  the  devel- 
opment of  their  national  institutions,  and  to  the 
furtherance  of  their  prosperity. 

38 


1888]  OPENING  OF  THE   REICHSTAG 

To  my  great  satisfaction,  our  existing  agree- 
ments with  Austria-Hungary  and  Italy  permit  me 
to  foster  carefully  my  personal  friendship  for  the 
Russian  Emperor  and  the  friendly  relations  which 
have  existed  for  a  hundred  years  with  the  neigh- 
boring Russian  Empire,  a  course  which  accords 
with  my  own  feelings  as  well  as  with  the  interests 
of  Germany. 

I  stand  as  ready  to  serve  the  Fatherland  in  the 
conscientious  promotion  of  peace  as  in  the  care 
for  our  army  and  rejoice  in  the  traditional  rela- 
tions with  foreign  powers  through  which  my  efforts 
in  the  former  direction  are  being  furthered. 

Trusting  in  God  and  in  the  ability  of  our  peo- 
ple to  defend  themselves,  I  entertain  the  hope 
that  for  an  appreciable  time  we  may  be  allowed 
to  preserve  and  strengthen  through  peaceful  labor 
what  my  two  predecessors  on  the  throne  had  ac- 
quired through  their  efforts  on  the  field  of  battle. 


OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

Berlin,  November  22,  1888 

The  first  months  of  the  Emperor's  reign  were 
devoted  largely  to  visiting  the  heads  of  the  con- 
federated German  states  and  in  cultivating  the 
acquaintance  of  foreign  rulers.  His  main  pur- 
pose, as  he  tells  us  on  a  later  occasion,  was  to  com- 

39 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

batjhe  idea  that  it  was  his  intention  to  enter  upon 
a  career  ot  wan 

The  workingman's  insurance  act,  which  has 
been  referred  to,  was  one  of  the  most  important 
legislative  provisions  ever  made  in  the  interests  of 
labor.  The  cost  of  this  insurance  was  distributed 
between  the  employer,  the  employed,  and  the 
state.  In  spite  of  its  undoubted  benefits,  it  had 
failed  to  disarm  the  Social  Democrats,  and  the 
party  had  continued  to  increase.  They  com- 
plained that  the  proportion  of  the  cost  borne  by 
them  was  too  great,  and,  as  they  had  been  previ- 
ously and  were  soon  again  to  be  treated  as 
enemies,  they  were  inclined  to  look  upon  it  as  a 
bribe.  By  his  "social-political"  legislation  the 
Emperor  meant  to  forestall  the  Socialist  pro- 
gramme. When  this  well-intentioned  movement 
failed  to  dissolve  the  party,  which  continued  to 
increase,  he  was  not  slow  to  show  his  resentment. 

Honored  Gentlemen: 

When  I  greeted  you  for  the  first  time,  at  the 
beginning  of  my  reign,  you  stood  with  me  under 
the  weight  of  the  severe  visitations  which  my 
house  and  the  empire  have  experienced  in  the 
course  of  the  present  year.  The  sorrow  over  this 
loss  will  never  be  wholly  extinguished  during  the 
lifetime  of  the  present  generation,  but  it  cannot 
hinder  me  from  following  in  the  footsteps  of  my 
late  ancestors  and  completely  fulfilling  the  de- 
mands of  duty  with  manly  vigor  and  fidelity. 

40 


i888]  OPENING  OF  THE   REICHSTAG 

Buoyed  up  by  this  sense  of  duty  and  assuming 
that  this  exists  in  you  to  the  same  degree,  I  give 
you  my  greeting  and  bid  you  welcome  as  we  again 
take  up  our  common  labors. 

My  travels  have  carried  me  into  different  parts 
of  the  empire,  and  everywhere  I  have  found  evi- 
dences, both  on  the  part  of  my  exalted  colleagues 
and  of  the  people,  that  the  princes  and  the  popu- 
lation of  Germany  are,  with  absolute  trust,  de- 
voted to  the  empire  and  its  institutions  and  find 
the  pledge  of  safety  in  their  union.  From  such 
testimony  you  have  doubtless  come  to  the  con- 
clusion, no  less  satisfying  to  you  than  to  me,  that 
the  organic  union  which  now  binds  the  empire 
together  has  taken  deep  and  firm  rooting  in  the 
people  at  large.  I  therefore  feel  the  need  of  grate- 
fully expressing  on  this  occasion  the  pleasure  which 
it  gives  me. 

It  fills  me  with  great  satisfaction  that,  after  diffi- 
cult and  laborious  negotiations,  the  inclusion  of 
the  free  Hanseatic  cities,  Hamburg  and  Bremen, 
into  the  customs  union  of  the  empire  has  now 
been  realized.  I  see  in  this  the  blessed  fruit  of 
our  combined  efforts.  May  the  expectations 
which  we  count  upon  from  this  extension  of  the 
empire's  customs  districts  be  realized  in  fullest 
measure,  both  for  the  empire  and  for  these  two 
most  important  seacoast  towns ! 

41 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

The  government  of  the  Swiss  Federation  has 
suggested  a  revision  of  the  commercial  treaty  be- 
tween Germany  and  Switzerland.  Filled  with  the 
desire  of  confirming  the  existing  friendly  relations 
between  the  two  countries  and  of  extending  them 
also  into  the  realm  of  their  commercial  policies, 
I  stand  ready  to  meet  their  proposal.  The  nego- 
tiations have  been  conducted  through  the  offices 
of  representatives  from  the  states  bordering  upon 
Switzerland,  and  their  result  consists  in  a  further 
agreement  through  which  the  treaty  regulations 
for  reciprocal  trade  will  be  extended  and  the  ex- 
change of  industrial  products  will  be  made  easier. 
After  its  successful  acceptance  by  the  Bundesrat 
the  agreement  will  be  presented  to  you  with  the 
proposal,  in  order  that  you  may  bestow  upon  it 
your  constitutional  sanction. 

The  budget  for  the  next  fiscal  year  will  be  laid 
before  you  without  delay.  The  draft  gives  proof 
of  the  satisfactory  condition  of  the  imperial  fi- 
nances. As  a  result  of  the  reforms  instituted  in 
the  last  few  years,  with  your  co-operation,  in  the 
way  of  tariffs  and  internal  revenues,  surplus  re- 
ceipts may  be  expected,  and  upon  this  basis  we 
shall  not  only  be  provided  with  a  new  means  of  ful- 
filling the  inevitable  obhgations  of  the  empire  but  it 
may  be  possible  for  our  constituent  states  to  ex- 
pect an  increase  of  means  for  their  own  purposes. 

42 


1888]  OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

I  greet  with  joy  the  signs  of  a  revival  of  eco- 
nomic activity  in  various  fields.  Even  though 
the  pressure  which  bears  upon  the  farmer  is  not 
yet  reheved,  nevertheless,  as  I  look  forward  to 
the  possibility  which  has  lately  appeared  of  a 
greater  utilization  of  certain  agricultural  prod- 
ucts, I  hope  that  an  amelioration  also  of  this  most 
powerful  branch  of  our  industrial  work  will  be 
brought  about. 

The  bill  which  has  already  been  announced  on 
the  regulation  of  the  industrial  and  agricultural 
societies  will  be  laid  before  you  for  your  decision. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  enfranchising  of  asso- 
ciations with  limited  liability  which  the  bill  pro- 
poses will  prove  itself  beneficial  in  increasing  agri- 
cultural credit. 

Certain  shortcomings  which  have  appeared  in 
connection  with  the  insurance  against  sickness 
call  for  legal  remedy.  The  necessary  preliminary 
investigations  for  this  have  so  far  progressed  as  to 
make  it  possible,  in  all  probability,  to  lay  before 
you  in  the  course  of  this  session  an  adequate  pres- 
entation of  the  case. 

As  a  precious  legacy  from  my  grandfather,  I 
have  taken  over  the  problem  of  carrying  out  the 
social-political  legislation  begun  by  him.  I  do 
not  allow  myself  to  be  carried  away  by  the  hope 
that  through  legal  measures  the  exigencies  of  our 

43 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

time  and  human  misery  can  be  abolished  from  the 
world.  I  judge  it  to  be  a  duty,  however,  of  the 
executive  power  to  strive  with  all  its  faculties 
toward  the  mitigation  of  existing  industrial  griev- 
ances and  through  organized  measures  to  empha- 
size the  fact  that  love  of  our  neighbor,  which  has 
its  foundations  in  Christianity  itself,  should  be  a 
recognized  duty  of  the  entire  state.  The  difficul- 
ties which  stand  in  the  way  of  the  state's  assisting 
in  the  universal  insurance  of  all  workers  against 
the  dangers  of  age  and  sickness  are  great;  but, 
with  God's  help,  they  are  not  insurmountable. 
As  the  result  of  extensive  investigations  a  bill  will 
be  presented  to  you  which  reveals  a  possible  means 
of  attaining  this  end. 

Our  settlements  in  Africa  have  imposed  upon 
the  German  Empire  the  duty  of  converting  that 
part  of  the  world  to  a  Christian  civilization.  The 
friendly  government  of  England  and  her  Parlia- 
ment has  known  for  a  hundred  years  that  the  ful- 
filment of  this  obligation  must  begin  with  com- 
bating the  hunting  of  slaves  and  the  trade  in 
negroes.  I  have,  therefore,  sought  and  concluded 
an  understanding  with  England,  whose  meaning 
and  aim  you  shall  learn.  On  it  depend  further 
negotiations  with  other  friendly  and  interested 
governments  and  further  proposals  for  the  Reichs- 
tag. 

44 


i888]  THE  STRIKING  MINERS 

Our  relations  with  all  foreign  governments  are 
peaceful,  and  my  efforts  are  continually  directed 
toward  cementing  this  peace.  Our  treaties  with 
Austria  and  Italy  have  no  other  aim.  It  is  in- 
compatible with  my  Christian  faith  and  with  the 
duties  which  as  Emperor  I  have  assumed  toward 
the  people  needlessly  to  bring  upon  Germany  the 
sorrows  of  a  war,  even  of  a  victorious  one.  In  this 
conviction  I  have  looked  upon  it  as  my  duty  soon 
after  I  ascended  the  throne  to  greet  not  only  my 
affihated  rulers  within  the  realm  but  also  the 
friendly  neighboring  sovereigns.  I  have  sought 
to  find  an  understanding  with  them  concerning 
the  fulfilment  of  this  trust  which  God  has  placed 
upon  us,  of  preserving,  so  far  as  in  us  lies,  the 
peace  and  welfare  of  our  people.  The  confidence 
with  which  I  and  my  policies  have  been  received 
at  all  the  courts  which  I  have  visited  leads  me  to 
hope  that,  with  God's  help,  I  and  my  allies  and 
my  friends  will  succeed  in  preserving  the  peace 
of  Europe. 


THE  EMPEROR  AND  THE  STRIKING  MINERS 

Berlin,  May  14,  1889 

The  Emperor's  change  of  attitude  toward  the 
SociaHsts  is  evident  from  his  conduct  in  the  con- 
flict which  had  arisen  in  the  Rhenish  and  West- 

45 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

phalian  coal  districts  between  the  miners  and 
their  employers.  He  personally  received  dele- 
gations from  both  sides.  The  miners'  delegation 
consisted  of  Schroder  (spokesman),  Siegel,  and 
Bunte.  In  answer  to  Schroder's  speech,  the 
Emperor  announced: 

It  goes  without  saying  that  every  subject,  when 
he  presents  a  wish  or  a  petition,  has  the  ear  of  his 
Emperor.  Of  this  I  have  given  evidence  in  that 
I  have  invited  the  deputation  to  come  here  and  to 
set  forth  their  wishes  in  person.  You  have,  how- 
ever, placed  yourselves  in  the  wrong,  because  your 
agitation  is  unlawful  for  no  other  reason  than  the 
fact  that  the  fourteen  days  of  warning  have  not  yet 
expired,  after  which  the  workers  would  have  been 
legally  justified  in  ceasing  work.  In  consequence 
of  this  you  are  guilty  of  breaking  a  contract.  It  is 
self-evident  that  this  breach  of  contract  has  an- 
gered and  injured  the  employers. 

Further,  there  are  workers  who  do  not  wish  to 
strike  and  who,  either  through  force  or  by  means 
of  threats,  are  hindered  from  continuing  their  work. 
Also,  certain  of  the  workers  have  seized  upon  or- 
gans of  the  authorities  and  upon  property  which 
did  not  belong  to  them  and  have  even,  in  indi- 
vidual cases,  offered  resistance  to  the  military 
force  called  to  protect  them.  Finally,  you  wish 
that  work  should  be  generally  resumed  again  only 

46 


1889]  VISIT  OF  THE   KING  OF  ITALY 

when  your  combined  demands  shall  have  been  ful- 
filled at  all  the  mines. 

As  for  the  demands  themselves,  I  shall,  through 
my  government,  carefully  examine  them  and  have 
the  results  of  the  investigation  delivered  to  you 
through  the  appointed  authorities.  Should,  how- 
ever, there  occur  transgressions  against  the  pub- 
lic order  and  peace,  or  should  the  agitation  ally 
itself  with  the  Social  Democrats,  then  I  should  not 
be  in  a  position  to  reconcile  your  wishes  with  my 
good-will  as  ruler.  For,  to  me,  every  Social  Demo- 
crat is  synonymous  with  an  enemy  of  the  realm 
and  of  the  Fatherland.  Should  I,  therefore,  dis- 
cover that  Social-Democratic  tendencies  become 
involved  in  the  agitation  and  instigate  unlawful 
opposition,  I  will  step  in  sternly  and  ruthlessly 
and  bring  to  bear  all  the  power  that  I  possess — 
and  it  is  great. 

Now  go  to  your  homes,  think  over  what  I  have 
said,  and  seek  to  influence  your  comrades  to  re- 
flection. Above  all,  however,  you  must  not, 
under  any  circumstances,  hinder  your  comrades 
who  wish  to  return  to  their  work. 

VISIT  OF  THE  KING  OF  ITALY 

Berlin,  May  22,  1889 

At  the  time  of  the  great  spring  review  of  this 
year.  King  Humbert  came  to  Berlin  to  return  the 

47 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Aug. 

Emperor's  visit.  A  state  banquet  was  held,  at 
which  the  Emperor  proposed  the  following  toast 
to  the  King  of  Italy: 

May  it  please  your  Majesty  to  accept  from  me 
and  my  people  our  heartiest  thanks  for  the  proof 
of  the  friendship  which  your  Majesty  has  given 
me  by  this  visit ! 

My  troops,  likewise,  are  filled  with  grateful 
pride  that  they  have  been  able  to  conduct  them- 
selves with  honor  in  the  eyes  of  your  Majesty,  an 
experienced  soldier. 

Full  of  the  happy  remembrance  of  the  army 
manoeuvres  at  Rome,  I  raise  my  glass  and  drink 
to  the  health  of  your  Majesty  and  of  her  Majesty, 
the  Queen;  to  the  health  of  your  brave  troops  as 
well  as  to  the  unchanging  friendship  with  the 
house  of  Savoy,  whose  motto,  *^  Sempre  avantiy 
Savojuy'*  has  led  to  the  unification  of  the  kingdom 
of  Italy.     Long  live  his  Majesty,  King  Humbert ! 

THE  ENGLISH  FLEET  AND  THE  GERMAN 
ARMY 

Sandown  Bay,  August  5,  1889 

On  this  date  the  Emperor  was  created  admiral 
of  the  EngUsh  fleet  by  Queen  Victoria.  On  the 
same  day  he  was  present  at  a  regatta  on  Sandown 
Bay,  where  he  replied  as  follows  to  a  toast  offered 
by  the  Prince  of  Wales : 

48 


1889]  THE  ENGLISH  ARMY 

I  prize  most  highly  the  honor  which  has  been 
shown  me  by  the  Queen  in  appointing  me  admiral 
of  the  EngHsh  fleet.  I  sincerely  rejoice  to  have 
seen  the  manoeuvres  of  the  fleet,  which  I  consider 
the  finest  in  the  world.  Germany  possesses  an 
army  which  answers  to  her  needs,  and  if  the  Brit- 
ish nation  possesses  a  fleet  sufl&cient  for  the  needs 
of  England,  this  in  itself  will  be  considered  by 
Europe  in  general  as  a  weighty  factor  in  the  main- 
tenance of  peace. 


THE  ENGLISH  ARMY 

Aldershot,  August  7,  1889 

On  his  mother^s_giil£,.jgha_was  a  princess  royal 
of  ^England,  the  Emperor  was  a  grandson  of  Queen 
Victoria,  to  whom  he  paid  frequent  visits  and 
whom  he  held  in  high  regard.  William  II  began 
his  reign  with  cordial  feelings  toward  his  island 
neighbors.  If  the  friendship  between  the  two  na- 
tions was  never  particularly  close,  the  estrange- 
ment of  modern  times  may  be  said  to  have  begun 
in  colonial  and  commercial  rivalries  in  the  last 
decades  of  the  nineteenth  century  and  to  have 
been  sharpened  by  events  in  China  and  especially 
by  the  Boer  War.  The  situation  became  more 
acute  after  the  Morocco  incident,  in  1904-5, 
and  when  on  that  occasion  England  sided  with 
France  she  was  by  a  large  portion  of  the  German 
people  definitely  aHgned  with  their  enemies.     The 

49 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

present  toast,  which  was  reported  in  this  form  in 
the  Kreuzzeitung  of  August  9,  1889,  was  received 
with  no  protest  or  denial.  The  Emperor  had  been 
present  at  the  manoeuvres  of  29,000  EngUsh  troops 
at  Aldershot,  under  General  Sir  Evelyn  Wood. 
The  toast  was  offered  in  the  camp  tent  of  the  Duke 
of  Cambridge,  in  response  to  one  by  that  officer. 

It  gives  me  particular  satisfaction  to  have  ap- 
pointed the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  the  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  English  army,  as  a  member  of  the 
28th  Regiment,  since  this  same  regiment  had  as 
chief  at  one  time  our  comrade  at  Waterloo,  the 
Duke  of  Wellington. 

The  friendship  with  the  English,  which  had 
been  sealed  in  blood,  my  honored  grandfather 
maintained  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

The  British  army  fills  me  with  the  greatest  ad- 
miration. If  ever  the  possibility  of  counting  upon 
volunteers  is  doubted,  I  shall  be  in  a  position  to 
give  testimony  to  their  capacity. 

At  Malplaquet  and  at  Waterloo  the  Prussian 
and  British  blood  was  shed  in  a  common  cause. 

THE  CZAR  AT  BERLIN 

Berlin,  October  ii,  1889 

On  the  occasion  of  Alexander  IIFs  visit  to 
Berlin  the  Emperor  offered  the  following  toast 
at  the  banquet  in  the  White  Room  of  the  Royal 

50 


i889]     ON  BOARD  AN  ENGLISH  FLAG-SHIP 

Palace.  It  may  be  "considering  too  curiously 
to  consider  so,"  but  to  many  there  will  seem  to 
be  something  matter-of-fact  in  the  Czar's  reply, 
which  is  printed  below.  This  friendship  between 
the  rulers  of  the  two  neighboring  countries  was, 
however,  outwardly  preserved  up  to  the  time  of 
the  present  war,  as  is  evident  to  those  who  will 
consult  the  telegrams  exchanged  between  William 
and  Nicolas  on  the  eve  of  the  outbreak. 

I  drink  to  the  health  of  my  honored  friend, 
his  Majesty,  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  and  to  the 
continuation  of  the  friendship  which  has  existed 
for  more  than  one  hundred  years  between  our 
houses  and  which,  as  a  legacy  received  from  my 
ancestors,  I  am  determined  to  foster. 

The  Czar  replied  in  French,  as  follows: 

Je  remercie  Voire  Majeste  de  Fos  bonnes  paroles 
et  je  partage  entierement  les  sentiments  que  Vous 
venez  (Texprimer.  A  la  sante  de  Sa  Majeste, 
VEmpereur  et  Roi — Hourra! 

ON  BOARD  AN  ENGLISH  FLAG-SHIP 

The  Pirjeus,  October  30,  1889 

On  visits  to  his  English  relatives  the  Emperor 
had,  as  a  lad,  made  occasional  sojourns  in  Great 
Britain,  and  that  romantic  temperament  of  which 
he  was  to  give  indications  even  in  much  later 

SI 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR        [Oct.,  1889 

years  was  much  impressed  by  the  sight  of  En- 
glish ships.  He  recalls  the  memory  on  many  oc- 
casions. As  will  be  plain  later,  he  early  conceived 
the  idea  and  realized  the  necessity  of  a  powerful 
fleet.  As  this  is  his  first  reference  to  the  navy 
in  the  present  volume  it  is  interesting  to  note 
the  attitude  of  humble  discipleship  which  in  the 
mid-years  of  the  next  decade  is  to  give  way  to 
quite  another  conception. 

I  am  proud  of  the  rank  which  Queen  Victoria 
has  bestowed  upon  me.  It  might  be  supposed 
that  my  interest  in  the  British  navy  dated  from 
my  appointment  as  admiral;  that,  however,  is 
not  so.  From  my  earliest  youth,  when  as  a  boy 
I  ran  about  on  the  wharves  at  Portsmouth,  I  was 
much  interested  in  British  ships.  My  inspection 
of  the  ships  to-day  has  afforded  me  great  satis- 
faction, and  I  congratulate  you  on  their  appear- 
ance. Nelson's  famous  watchword  is  no  longer 
necessary.  They  all  do  their  duty,  and  we  as  a 
young  sea  power  follow  England  in  order  to  learn 
from  the  English  navy. 


52 


Ill 

AFTER  BISMARCK 

May  6,  1890 — June  21,  1895 
OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

Berlin,  May  6,  1890 

This  address  to  the  Reichstag  is  of  particular 
importance.  The  Emperor  had  now  visited  most 
of  the  sovereigns  of  Europe  and  felt  that  he  had 
estabHshed  himself.  He  was  here  definitely  out- 
lining a  policy  which  he  himself  had  framed.  In 
that  period  when  the  Emperor  was  still  Prince 
William,  Bismarck  had  said:  "In  him  there  is 
something  of  Frederick  the  Great,  and  he  is  also 
able  to  become  as  despotic  as  Frederick  the  Great. 
What  a  blessing  that  we  have  a  parHamentary 
government!"  He  had  likewise  prophesied  that 
the  Emperor  would  be  his  own  chancellor,  and  he 
had  discovered  in  his  own  case  that  the  prophecy 
was  a  true  one.  In  the  spring  of  this  year,  after 
numerous  misunderstandings,  Bismarck  had  him- 
self been  forced  into  retirement,  and  henceforth 
his  name  will  be  mentioned  but  rarely.  One  of 
the  points  on  which  they  had  disagreed  was  pre- 
cisely this  project  for  labor  legislation,  which 
was,  unfortunately,  not  destined  to  fulfil  the  hopes 

53 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

entertained  by  William  II.  A  number  of  the 
projects  here  laid  down  were  carried  out  only 
partially  and  others  not  at  all.  So,  for  instance, 
in  this  same  year  the  Emperor  had  issued  the  fol- 
lowing decree: 

"For  the  fostering  of  peace  between  employers 
and  laborers  legal  regulations  are  contemplated 
regarding  the  forms  in  which  the  laborers  shall, 
through  representatives  who  possess  their  con- 
fidence, participate  in  the  regulation  of  matters 
of  common  concern  and  the  protection  of  their 
interests  in  negotiations  with  employers  and  with 
the  organs  of  my  government.  By  such  institu- 
tions the  laborers  are  to  be  enabled  to  give  free 
and  peaceful  expression  to  their  wishes  and  com- 
plaints, and  the  state  authorities  are  to  be  given 
the  opportunity  of  continually  acquainting  them- 
selves with  the  conditions  of  the  workers  and  of 
cultivating  contact  with  the  latter.'* 

As  late  as  1905  it  had  not  been  carried  into 
execution,  though  chambers  of  labor  have  since 
been  established  which  partially  carry  out  this 
end. 

The  industrial  courts  of  which  the  Emperor 
speaks  have  been  far  from  successful  in  arbitration 
disputes.  They  are  established  in  all  cities  of  over 
20,ocxD  inhabitants  and  consist  of  equal  numbers 
of  employers  and  employees.  Dawson  holds  that 
unwillingness  to  mediate  lies  with  the  employers. 
During  the  year  1905,  406  courts  acted  as  boards 
of  conciliation  on  350  occasions,  all  told,  and  in 
only  128  cases  were  they  successful.  Part  of  the 
failure  lies  in  the  fact  that  no  wage  agreements 

54 


i89o]  OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

existed.  Of  219  "aggressive"  strikes  in  Berlin  in 
1905,  organized  by  the  *'free"  trades  federations, 
55  were  for  the  introduction  of  wage  agreements. 

The  Emperor's  disappointment  at  the  failure  of 
his  policy  to  check  the  growing  disaffection  of 
the  laboring  classes  will  later  be  evident. 

It  is  significant  that  in  this  address,  though 
measures  for  the  army  are  strongly  urged,  there 
is  as  yet  no  mention  of  the  navy. 

Honored  Gentlemen: 

Since  you  have  been  chosen  in  the  recent  elec- 
tions to  work  in  common  with  the  allied  govern- 
ments, I  bid  you  welcome  at  this  the  opening  of 
the  eighth  legislative  session  of  the  Reichstag.  I 
earnestly  hope  that  you  may  succeed  in  finding  a 
satisfactory  solution  for  the  important  problems 
of  legislation  which  here  confront  you.  A  num- 
ber of  these  problems  are  of  so  pressing  a  nature 
that  it  did  not  seem  possible  to  defer  longer  the 
summoning  of  the  Reichstag. 

I  consider  as  most  important  among  them  the 
further  enlargement  of  the  bill  concerning  the  pro- 
tection of  the  laborer.  The  strikes  which  have  oc- 
curred in  different  parts  of  the  country  during  the 
past  year  have  given  me  occasion  to  bring  about 
an  investigation  of  the  question  as  to  whether  our 
present  legislation  has,  to  the  fullest  extent,  taken 
cognizance  of  those  wishes  of  the  working  people 

55 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

which  are  really  just  and  reasonable  and  within 
the  state's  power  of  regulation.  The  question  of 
first  importance  concerns  the  guarantee  of  Sunday 
as  a  day  of  rest  for  the  laboring  man,  as  well  as  the 
limitation  of  woman  and  child  labor  in  accordance 
with  consideration  for  humanity  and  with  regard 
to  the  natural  laws  of  development.  The  govern- 
ments of  the  affiliated  states  are  convinced  that  the 
proposals  in  this  connection  made  by  the  last 
Reichstag  can,  according  to  their  present  content, 
be  given  legal  effectiveness  without  harm  to  other 
interests.  In  this  connection,  however,  numerous 
other  provisions  have  shown  themselves  unsatis- 
factory and  capable  of  improvement.  To  this 
category  belong  especially  the  legal  provisions  for 
the  protection  of  the  laborer  against  danger  to  his 
life,  health,  and  morals,  as  well  as  the  laws  con- 
cerning the  announcement  of  regulations  of  labor. 
The  prescriptions  concerning  the  working  men's 
books  need  amplification  with  the  aim  of  insuring 
the  respect  due  the  older  men  against  the  increas- 
ing impertinence  of  the  younger  laborers.  The 
consequent  changes  demanded  and  the  further  ex- 
pansion of  the  trade  regulations  find  their  expres- 
sion in  a  bill  which  you  will  shortly  receive. 

A  further  proposal  endeavors  to  secure  the 
better  regulation  of  the  industrial  arbitration 
courts  and,  likewise,  an  organization  of  these  which 

S6 


i89o]  OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

shall  make  it  possible  to  use  them  as  mediators  in 
cases  of  dispute  between  employers  and  employees 
over  the  terms  on  which  labor  shall  be  continued 
or  resumed. 

I  trust  that  your  willing  co-operation  will  secure 
an  agreement  of  the  law-making  bodies  concern- 
ing the  reform  laid  before  you  and  thereby  take  a 
step  forward  toward  the  solution  of  our  relations 
to  the  laboring  class.  The  more  the  laboring 
population  recognizes  the  serious  earnestness  with 
which  the  government  is  striving  to  render  their 
status  satisfactory,  so  much  the  more  will  they  be 
conscious  of  the  dangers  which  must  arise  from 
their  insistence  upon  extravagant  and  impossible 
demands.  In  the  proper  provision  for  the  laborer 
Hes  the  most  effective  means  of  increasing  the 
strength  which  I  and  my  associated  rulers  are 
called  upon  and  wilHng  to  use  in  opposing  with 
unyielding  determination  any  attempt  to  shake 
the  provisions  of  the  law. 

Nevertheless,  in  the  case  of  this  reform  there 
can  be  question  only  of  such  measures  as  are  fea- 
sible without  endangering  the  Fatherland's  indus- 
trial activity  and  with  it  the  most  important  vital 
interests  of  the  laborer  himself.  Our  industry 
forms  only  one  department  in  the  economic  work 
of  all  the  peoples  who  take  part  in  the  competition 
in  the  market  of  the  world.     With  this  in  mind,  I 

57 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

have  sought  to  bring  about  an  interchange  of 
opinions  on  the  matter,  among  the  states  of  Europe 
where  similar  economic  conditions  prevail,  as  to 
how  far  a  general  recognition  of  the  legislative 
problems  relative  to  the  safety  of  the  working  man 
can  be  established  and  brought  to  pass.  I  am 
compelled  to  gratefully  acknowledge  that  these 
suggestions  have  found  favor  in  all  states  concerned 
and  especially  in  those  where  the  same  idea  was 
already  being  agitated  and  was  approaching  exe- 
cution. The  course  of  the  international  confer- 
ence which  met  here  fills  me  with  especial  satis- 
faction. Its  conclusions  are  the  expression  of  a 
general  attitude  with  regard  to  this  most  important 
province  of  our  contemporary  civilization.  The 
principles  there  laid  down  will,  I  have  no  doubt, 
prove  a  rich  field  which,  with  God's  help,  shall 
blossom  to  the  blessing  of  the  workers  of  all  coun- 
tries and  which  will  also  bear  fruit  in  drawing  all 
nations  together. 

The  continued  preservation  of  peace  is  ever  the 
goal  of  my  efforts.  I  dare  express  the  conviction 
that  I  have  succeeded  in  securing  the  confidence 
of  all  foreign  governments  in  the  good  faith  of 
this  policy  of  mine.  Like  myself  and  my  esteemed 
affiliated  rulers,  the  German  people  recognize  that 
it  is  the  problem  of  the  empire  to  preserve  peace 
by  cultivating  the  alliances  already  concluded  for 

58 


i89o]  OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

our  defense,  and  the  friendly  relations  now  exist- 
ing with  all  foreign  powers,  in  order  to  further 
prosperity  and  civilization.  For  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  task,  however,  we  need  an  armed 
force  compatible  with  our  position  in  the  heart  of 
Europe.  Every  postponement  of  matters  per- 
taining to  the  army  endangers  the  political  bal- 
ance of  power  and  with  it  the  success  of  our 
policy  directed  toward  maintaining  peace. 

Since  the  basis  of  our  army  organization  was 
decided  upon  for  a  definite  period  the  military 
organization  of  our  neighbors  has  been  broadened 
and  perfected  to  an  unforeseen  degree.  Indeed,  / 
we,  too,  have  neglected  nothing  in  our  attempt  to 
strengthen  our  forces,  in  so  far  as  this  was  possi- 
ble within  the  limits  prescribed  by  the  law. 
Nevertheless,  what  we  could  do  within  these 
limits  was  so  little  that  we  cannot  postpone  a 
consideration  of  the  whole  question  without  danger 
to  ourselves.  An  increase  of  the  present  peace 
strength  and  an  increase  of  the  bodies  of  troops 
— especially  for  the  field-artillery — must  not  be 
longer  deferred.  A  bill  will  be  laid  before  you 
according  to  which  the  necessary  measures  for 
strengthening  the  army  will  go  into  efl^ect  on  the 
1st  of  October  of  this  year. 

The  plan  which  has  been  instituted  in  West 
Africa  toward  the  suppression  of  the  slave-trade 

59 


^  .   — 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

and  for  the  protection  of  the  German  interests 
has,  during  the  last  months,  made  progress,  thanks 
to  the  self-sacrificing  activity  of  our  officers  and 
officials  who  are  stationed  there.  The  complete 
restoration  of  peace  in  those  districts  may  be  ex- 
pected very  shortly.  The  expense  thus  incurred 
will  be  covered  by  an  additional  grant. 

The  budget  for  the  current  fiscal  year  already 
needs  a  corresponding  enlargement  on  account  of 
the  plans  referred  to.  Furthermore,  the  increase 
of  salary  for  a  part  of  the  officials  of  the  realm, 
which  has  long  been  projected  and  which  has  be- 
come ever  more  pressing,  can  no  longer  be  delayed. 
The  supplementary  budget  which  is  to  be  sub- 
mitted to  you  will  give  you  an  opportunity  to 
prove  your  friendly  interest  in  satisfying  this  need. 

If  the  labors  hereby  imposed  upon  you  come  to 
a  successful  issue,  new  and  sound  guarantees  for 
the  inner  welfare  of  the  Fatherland  will  then  have 
been  won.  May  it  be  granted  to  us  through  com- 
mon eflPort  to  achieve  this  end ! 

REVIEW  OF  THE  NINTH  ARMY  CORPS 

Flensburg,  September  4,  1890 

The  review  of  the  Ninth  Army  Corps  took 
place  in  the  presence  of  the  Empress,  Princes 
Henry  and  Albert,  of  Archduke  Karl  Stephen  of 
Austria,    and    Count    Moltke    at    Flensburg.     It 

60 


i89o]  REVIEW  OF  THE  NINTH  ARMY  CORPS 

will  be  remembered  that  in  1864  Bismarck  suc- 
ceeded in  enlisting  Austria  to  aid  Prussia  in  a 
war  upon  Denmark,  which  was  at  that  time  de- 
prived of  Schleswig-Holstein,  the  harbor  of  Kiel, 
and  more  than  i,ooo,ocx)  inhabitants.  One  of  the 
battles  of  the  war  to  which  the  Emperor  refers 
was  fought  in  this  district.  The  address  was 
made  at  the  banquet  following  the  review. 

My  opinion  of  to-day's  performance  of  the 
Ninth  Army  Corps  under  the  command  of  your 
Excellency  [General  von  Leszczynski]  I  have  al- 
ready expressed  to  you  and  your  officers. 

Whoever,  like  myself,  has  for  any  length  of 
time  stood  at  the  front  or  partly  at  the  front  and 
partly  as  spectator  has  been  present  at  many 
imperial  manoeuvres  knows  what  such  a  parade 
means  to  an  army  corps.  I  know  very  well  what 
arduous  preliminary  labor  is  involved,  the  agita- 
tion, the  attention,  the  exertion  of  the  troops.  I 
know  very  well  how  each  individual  officer,  high 
or  low,  every  soldier,  rejoices  in  and  yet  with  a 
certain  solicitude  looks  forward  to  the  moment 
when  he  shall  parade  before  his  war  lord.* 

I  know  from  my  own  experience  when  I  was 
still  a  captain  what  satisfaction  I  felt  when  my 
adjutant  could  call  to  me  that  the  Emperor  had 
nodded   as  the  company  passed   by  him.     This 

*  Kriegsherr. 
61 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

IS  true  to-day,  likewise,  in  the  case  of  every 
officer. 

I  repeat  to  you  my  hearty  thanks  and  express 
to  you  my  congratulation  for  the  magnificent 
parade.  This  army  corps  which  you  have  mar- 
shalled before  me  has  a  bearing  and  discipline 
which  I  must  demand  unconditionally  from  every 
army  corps.  I  do  not  doubt  for  a  moment  that 
the  work  done  in  preparing  for  a  review  will  prove 
useful  in  the  preparation  for  battle. 

We  stand  here  upon  historic  ground,  on  which 
our  armies,  united  with  those  of  Austria,  jointly 
won  a  bloody  victory. 

I  raise  my  glass  and  drink  to  the  Ninth  Army 
Corps  in  the  expectation  that  here  and  hereafter, 
in  war  as  in  peace,  it  will  maintain  its  famous 
traditions.    Long  live  the  Ninth  Army  Corps ! 


ACCIDENTS  WITH  AGRICULTURAL 
MACHINERY 

Berlin,  November  ii,  1890 

The  following  address  shows  the  Emperor  in 
one  of  the  little-known  phases  of  his  amazingly 
versatile  career.  It  exhibits,  likewise,  his  command 
of  detailed  knowledge  in  a  field  where  we  should 
least  expect  it  and  his  solicitude  for  the  welfare 
of  faithful  subjects.  Besides  his  interest  in  the 
sea,  he  has  also  for  many  years  been  much  inter- 

62 


i89o]  AGRICULTURAL  MACHINERY 

ested  in  agriculture;  and  his  estate  in  East  Prussia 
has  been  in  a  sense  an  experiment  station.  He 
prides  himself  on  being  a  pioneer  and  in  person- 
ally supervising  his  domain  and  is  occasionally 
pleased  to  call  himself  a  farmer.  He  attended  the 
meetings  of  the  Prussian  Agricultural  Commis- 
sion and  at  one  of  the  sessions  took  part  in  the 
discussion  on  the  means  of  safeguarding  the  life 
of  the  laborers. 

Two  points  have  occurred  to  me  which  I  would 
like  to  ask  you  to  consider.  It  is  worthy  of  note 
that  during  my  reign  there  have  been  brought 
to  my  attention  many  striking  cases  in  which 
laboring  women  have  been  killed  through  acci- 
dents with  machinery.  I  receive  regularly  from 
the  Minister  of  Justice  tabulated  lists  of  requests* 
for  pardon,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  there  is  among 
them  a  striking  number  of  cases  of  women  farm- 
hands who  have  met  with  accidents  in  tending 
machines.  As  has  already  been  said,  I  am  not 
granting  these  pardons  as  freely  as  formerly.  It 
is  to  be  noted,  furthermore,  that  a  great  differ- 
ence prevails  in  the  adjudication  of  the  cases  in 
which  penalties  may  be  inflicted  and  in  the 
penalties  themselves.  I  next  inquired  why  these 
women  workers — it  was  especially  girls  working 
with  the  thrashing-machines — were  killed,  and  it 

*  From  employers,  of  course. 
63 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

usually  appeared  that  the  girls  were  caught  by 
their  dresses  in  the  transmission  pulleys  and  so 
became  entangled  in  them.  Then  I  asked  if  there 
were  no  means  of  protection  there.  Yes,  indeed, 
they  said,  according  to  the  police  regulations  the 
pulleys  must  have  a  cover  or  a  box  must  be  put 
over  them,  but  in  each  of  these  cases  this  had 
not  been  attended  to.  There  also  appeared  here, 
on  the  one  side,  a  certain  indifference  either  on 
the  part  of  the  owner  or  of  the  person  who  was 
conducting  the  work  concerning  the  life  of  the 
women  in  his  employ  and,  on  the  other  side,  an 
indifference  on  the  part  of  the  women  themselves, 
who  had  become  accustomed  to  working  near  the 
moving  parts  of  the  machines  and  to  stepping 
over  the  pulleys,  and  finally  the  accident  hap- 
pened. Therefore,  may  I  ask  you  that  in  using 
the  word  "machines"  these  provisions  regarding 
power  transmission  be  not  forgotten.  Many  of 
the  machines  stand  in  one  place  and  the  ap- 
paratus for  transmission  is  in  another  place  or  in 
the  yard,  and  that  is  a  chief  cause  of  the  acci- 
dents. For  every  one  passes  through  the  yard,  and 
especially  if  there  are  children  playing  there,  all 
too  easily  some  misfortune  may  occur. 

Let  me,  therefore,  remark,  concerning  what  one 
of  the  preceding  speakers  has  said,  that  I  myself 
have  come  to  the  same  conclusion  as  Professor 

64 


i89o]  AGRICULTURAL  MACHINERY 

Schmoller.  I  believe  that  it  is  not  sufficient  that 
the  state  should  lay  upon  the  worker  the  obliga- 
tion to  be  careful  and  that  it  should  give  him 
directions  how  to  conduct  himself  with  regard  to 
the  machines.    This  cannot  be  carried  out. 

I  am  much  more  of  the  opinion  that,  if  such  is 
your  desire  and  if  it  is  plain  that  harm  has  re- 
sulted from  the  fact  that  the  workers  move  about 
too  carelessly,  it  is  much  better  that  the  obliga- 
tion should  be  put  upon  the  owner  or  upon  the 
person  commissioned  to  conduct  the  machines 
and  that  he  be  required  to  watch  over  the  em- 
ployees more  carefully.  If  the  owner  cannot 
burden  himself  with  it  then  he  should  have  such 
officials  as  would  have  sufficient  influence  with 
the  worker  to  make  him  be  careful.  We  must  not 
forget  what,  for  the  most  part,  such  a  worker 
is  like  and  what  he  knows  of  machinery.  Fre- 
quently he  knows  only  that  it  cuts  or  that  it  is 
otherwise  dangerous.  A  certain  grip  is  shown  him 
— he  must  do  it  like  this — but  the  rest  he  does 
not  understand  and  regards  with  indifference. 
Consequently  regulations  which  concern  only  or 
more  particularly  the  laborer  would  not  help,  for 
the  people  would  not  understand  their  aim  and 
when  the  regulation  caused  them  annoyance  or 
trouble  would  fail  to  consider  it  and  thus  render 
themselves  liable  to  accident. 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

I  believe,  therefore,  that  it  is  most  important  in 
the  question  of  the  conduct  of  agricultural  ma- 
chinery that  we  should  work  toward  proper  super- 
vision over  the  laborer  by  the  employer.  When 
this  happens  accidents  will  begin  to  diminish. 

It  has  interested  me  very  much  to  learn  here 
that  it  is  not  the  machines  but  altogether  differ- 
ent circumstances  which  cause  most  of  the  acci- 
dents in  agricultural  operations  and  that  par- 
ticularly in  all  provinces  where  horses  are  employed 
accidents  are  frequent.  I  am  therefore  pleased 
that  this  phase  of  the  question  of  protecting 
against  accident  has  also  come  up  here  and  that 
the  gentlemen  are  now  engaged  upon  it. 

For  the  rest  it  has  been  a  great  pleasure  to  me 
to  take  part  in  these  deliberations. 


ALSACE-LORRAINE 

Berlin,  March  14,  1891 

On  this  occasion  a  deputation  from  Alsace- 
Lorraine  presented  a  protest  against  the  continu- 
ance of  the  Passzzvang,  a  rule  which  made  it  im- 
possible to  leave  Alsace-Lorraine  except  under 
very  special  circumstances  and  on  receiving  a 
pass  from  the  imperial  agent.  The  rule  was  par- 
ticularly obnoxious,  and  the  strictness  with  which 
it  had  been  enforced  was  much  resented,  even  by 
subjects   favorably   disposed   to   the   empire.     It 

66 


i89i]  ALSACE-LORRAINE 

was,  however,   merely  one  of  many  grievances. 
Since    the    time    of    the    Franco-Prussian    War, 
Alsace-Lorraine  had   been   governed   Uke   a  con- 
quered province— by  a  governor  appointed  by,  and 
responsible  to,  the  Emperor  alone.     Up  to  this 
time  the  policy  had  been  one  of  repression,  save 
for  a  very  brief  period.     It  is  possible  that  the 
Emperor  might  have  been  inclined  to  give  them 
some  relief  had  it  not  been  for  the  unfortunate 
/result  of  the  visit  of  his  mother  to  Paris.     After  a 
visit  in  London,  the  Empress  Frederick,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1 891   (it  is  supposed  on  the  advice  of  her 
son),  visited  Paris  and,  while  there,  was  to  ask 
certain   of  the   French   artists  to  exhibit   at  the 
BerUn  exhibition.     It  had  evidently  been  assumed 
that  the  time  had  come  for  a  rapprochement.     The 
Empress  descended  at  the  German  embassy  very 
quietly  and  had  received  promises  from  several 
artists,  when  her  presence  in  Paris  became  known 
to  the  League  of  French  Patriots  and  to  the  ger- 
manophobe  Deroulede,  who  immediately  started 
a  violent   agitation    and    demonstrations   against 
Germany.     The  artists  withdrew  their  promises 
under  the  pressure  of  outraged  patriotic  opinion, 
and  the  situation  became  so  tense  that  the  Em- 
press was  forced  to  depart  very  hastily  in  a  manner 
that    suggested    flight.     The   incident   tended    to 
make  bad  feeling  on  both  sides  and  reacted  un- 
favorably upon  the  attitude  of  the  empire  toward 
the  former  F^rench  provinces.     The  difficulties  of 
circulation   were   increased,    and   the   regulations 
about    passes    were    made    particularly    trymg. 
These  difficulties  were  removed  in  1899,  but  the 

67 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

provinces  continued  to  protest,  as  they  were  not 
given  equal  rights  with  the  other  German  states 
and  have  not  enjoyed  them  up  to  the  present. 
In  May,  191 1,  a  new  so-called  constitution  was 
given  to  Alsace-Lorraine.  The  executive  power  is 
exercised  by  the  Emperor  in  the  name  of  the  em- 
pire; the  province  has  three  votes  in  the  Bundesrat, 
which  are  so  restricted  that  they  give  very  little 
satisfaction  to  Alsace-Lorraine  and  are  so  far 
under  the  control  of  Prussia  that  they  give  con- 
siderable dissatisfaction  to  other  German  states. 
The  Emperor  appoints  officials,  including  the 
Statthalter,  or  governor,  and  the  delegates  are  in- 
structed by  the  Statthalter  and  must  vote  according 
to  instructions.  The  votes  do  not  count  in  any 
vote  concerning  the  imperial  Constitution.  There 
was  much  protest  because  the  new  constitution 
did  not  grant  the  provinces  sufficient  indepen- 
dence. The  previous  Provincial  Assembly  {Landes- 
ausschuss)  had  been  summarily  closed  on  the  9th 
of  May,  191 1.  Affairs  were  but  little  improved 
under  the  new  arrangement,  and  the  Emperor 
came  to  Strasburg  in  great  anger.  May  13,  191 2, 
and  made  the  following  threatening  address: 
"If  this  keeps  up  I  shall  knock  your  constitution 
to  bits.  Up  to  the  present  you  have  known  me 
from  my  good  side,  but  you  can  perhaps  learn  to 
know  me  from  the  other  side  also.  If  things  do 
not  change,  we  will  make  of  Alsace-Lorraine  a 
Prussian  province."  This  speech  of  the  Emperor's 
is  not  printed  officially,  but  it  was  made  the  sub- 
ject of  an  interpellation  in  the  Reichstag  on  May 
17,  191 2,  and  the  burgomaster  of  Strasburg  ad- 

68 


i89i]  ALSACE-LORRAINE 

mitted  that  the  sense  of  the  imperial  utterance  was 
properly  given.  With  regard  to  Alsace-Lorraine, 
the  Emperor  has  tried  both  kindness  and  severity. 
The  Zabern  incident  proved  that  in  neither  of 
these  pohcies  had  he  succeeded  in  winning  either 
the  love  or  the  subjection  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  following  is  the  estimate  of  Dr.  H.  A.  Gib- 
bons on  the  situation  in  Alsace-Lorraine  im- 
mediately before  the  outbreak  of  the  European 
War: 

"One  could  easily  fill  many  pages  with  illustra- 
tions of  senseless  persecutions,  most  of  them  of  the 
pettiest  character,  but  some  more  serious  in  na- 
ture, which  Alsace  and  Lorraine  have  had  to 
endure  since  the  granting  of  the  constitution. 
Newspapers,  illustrated  journals,  clubs,  and  or- 
ganizations of  all  kinds  have  been  annoyed  con- 
stantly by  poUce  interference.  Their  editors, 
artists,  and  managers  have  been  brought  fre- 
quently into  court.  ZisHn  and  Hansi,  celebrated 
caricaturists,  have  found  themselves  provoked 
to  bolder  and  bolder  defiances  by  successive  con- 
demnations and  have  endured  imprisonment  as 
well  as  fines.  Hansi  was  sentenced  to  a  year's  im- 
prisonment by  the  High  Court  of  Leipsic  only  a 
month  before  the  present  war  broke  out  and 
chose  exile  rather  than  a  Prussian  fortress. 

"The  greatest  effort  during  the  past  few  years 
has  been  made  in  the  schools  to  influence  the  minds 
of  the  growing  generation  against  the  'souvenir 
de  France,'  and  to  impress  upon  the  Alsacians  what 
good  fortune  had  come  to  them  to  be  born  Ger- 
man citizens. 

69 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

"Among  the  boys,  the  influence  of  this  teaching 
has  been  such  that  over  twenty-two  thousand 
fled  from  home  during  the  period  of  1900-13  to 
enhst  in  the  Foreign  Legion  of  the  French  Army. 
The  campaign  of  the  German  newspapers  in 
Alsace-Lorraine  and,  in  fact,  throughout  Ger- 
many was  redoubled  in  191 1.  Parents  were 
warned  of  the  horrible  treatment  accorded  to  the 
poor  boys  who  were  misguided  enough  to  throw 
away  their  citizenship  and  go  to  be  killed  in 
Africa  under  the  French  flag.  The  result  of  this 
campaign  was  that  the  Foreign  Legion  received 
a  larger  number  of  Alsacians  in  191 2  than  had 
enlisted  during  a  single  year  since  1871  ! 

"Among  the  girls,  the  German  educational 
system  flattered  itself  that  it  could  completely 
change  the  sentiments  of  a  child,  especially  in 
the  boarding-schools.  Last  year  the  Empress  of 
Germany  visited  a  girls'  school  near  Metz  which 
is  one  of  the  best  German  schools  in  the  Reichs- 
land.  As  she  was  leaving  she  told  the  children 
that  she  wanted  to  give  them  something.  What 
did  they  want  ^.  The  answer  was  not  sweets  or 
cake  but  that  they  might  be  taught  a  little  French  ! 

"The  former  French  provinces  have  been  flooded 
with  garrisons  and  have  been  treated  just  as  they 
were  forty  years  ago.  The  insuff'erable  spirit  of 
militarism  and  the  arrogance  of  the  Prussian 
ofl&cers  in  Alsacian  towns  have  served  to  turn 
against  the  empire  many  thousands  whom  an- 
other policy  might  have  won;  for  it  must  be 
remembered  that  by  no  means  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Reichsland  have  been  by  birth  and  by  home 

70 


i89i]  ALSACE-LORRAINE 

training  French  sympathizers.  Instead  of  crush- 
ing out  the  'souvenir  de  France,'  the  Prussian 
civil  and  miUtary  officials  have  caused  it  to  be 
born  in  many  a  soul  which  was  by  nature  German. 
"The  Prussian  has  never  understood  how  to  win 
the  confidence  of  others.  There  has  been  no 
Rome  in  his  political  vision.  As  for  conceptions 
of  toleration,  of  kindness,  and  of  love,  they  are 
non-existent  in  Prussian  officialdom." 

It  gives  me  great  satisfaction  that  the  com- 
mittee of  the  provinces  has  turned  to  me  in  an 
important  question  concerning  the  interests  of 
Alsace-Lorraine.  I  see  in  this  fact  a  valuable 
proof  of  the  increasing  understanding  which  my 
good-will  and  my  interest  in  the  development  of 
your  home  country  has  begotten  in  the  minds  of 
its  representatives.  I  am  also  pleased  to  accept 
this  assurance  that  the  people  of  Alsace-Lorraine, 
satisfied  for  the  time  being  with  the  existing  politi- 
cal relations,  spurn  every  interference  by  foreign 
elements  and  look  to  the  empire  alone  for  the 
protection  of  their  interests. 

While  I  offer  you  my  thanks  for  this  expression 
of  loyal  sentiment,  I  regret  that  for  the  present  I 
cannot  fulfil  your  wishes.  I  must  confine  myself 
in  this  matter  to  expressing  the  hope  that  in  a 
not  too  distant  future  our  relations  may  make 
possible  the  alleviation  of  conditions  on  the  west- 

71 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

ern  boundary.  This  hope  will  be  the  sooner 
realized  the  more  the  people  of  Alsace-Lorraine 
are  convinced  of  the  inviolability  of  the  union 
which  binds  them  to  Germany  and  the  more  de- 
cidedly they  exhibit  their  resolution  to  remain 
forever  faithful  and  immovable  in  their  loyalty 
to  me  and  to  the  empire. 

SWEARING  IN  THE  RECRUITS 

Potsdam,  November  23,  1891 

Every  year  the  Emperor  is  present  at  the  swear- 
ing in  of  the  recruits  to  the  guard  and  to  the  navy. 
He  has  made  innumerable  speeches  on  such  occa- 
sions. The  present  somewhat  striking  pronounce- 
ment was  delivered  at  a  time  when  his  feeling 
toward  the  Socialists,  who  had  been  guilty  of  no 
particular  outrage,  still  ran  very  high.  Tolstoi 
saw  in  it  the  worst  excesses  of  militarism  and 
issued  shortly  after  the  following  criticism  of  the 
Emperor's  attitude: 

"This  man  expresses  what  all  wise  men  know 
but  carefully  conceal.  He  says  frankly  that  men 
who  serve  in  the  army  serve  him  and  his  advan- 
tage and  must  be  prepared  for  his  advantage  to 
kill  their  brothers  and  fathers. 

*'He  expresses  frankly,  and  with  the  coarsest  of 
words,  all  the  horror  of  the  crime  for  which  the 
men  who  enter  into  military  service  are  prepared, 
all  that  abyss  of  degradation  which  they  reach 
when  they  promise  obedience.     Like  a  bold  hyp- 

72 


i89i]  SWEARING  IN  THE  RECRUITS 

notizer,  he  tests  the  degree  of  the  hypnotized  man's 
sleep:  he  puts  the  glowing  iron  to  his  body,  the 
body  sizzles  and  smokes,  but  the  hypnotized  man 
does  not  awake. 

"This  miserable,  ill  man,  who  has  lost  his 
mind  from  the  exercise  of  power,  with  these 
words  offends  everything  which  can  be  holy  for 
a  man  of  our  time,  and  men — Christians,  liberals, 
cultured  men  of  our  time,  all  of  them — are  not 
only  not  provoked  by  this  insult  but  do  not  even 
notice  it." 

It  is  possible  that  such  criticism  and  the  resent- 
ment aroused  in  the  minds  of  the  law-abiding 
Socialists  led  him  later  to  tone  down  his  utter- 
ances, though  on  one  subsequent  occasion,  again 
with  the  Socialists  in  mind,  he  made  a  somewhat 
similar  address  (March  28,  1901). 

Recruits  to  the  Regiment  of  My  Guard: 

You  are  brought  together  here  from  all  parts 
of  the  empire  to  fulfil  your  military  duty,  and 
in  this  holy  place  have  just  sworn  fealty  to  your 
Emperor  to  your  last  breath.  You  are  still  too 
young  to  understand  all  this.  You  will,  however, 
little  by  little,  be  made  familiar  with  its  signifi- 
cance. Do  not  imagine  it  too  difficult,  and  trust 
in  God;  occasionally  also  say  the  Lord's  Prayer 
— that  has  frequently  given  many  a  warrior  fresh 
courage. 

Children  of  my  guard,  to-day  you  have  become 
incorporated  into  my  army;  you  now  stand  under 

73 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

my  command  and  have  the  privilege  of  wearing 
my  uniform.  Wear  it  honorably.  Think  of  the 
famous  history  of  your  Fatherland;  remember 
that  the  German  army  must  be  armed  against 
the  internal  as  well  as  the  external  foe.  More  and 
more  unbelief  and  discontent  raise  their  heads  in 
the  Fatherland,  and  it  may  come  to  pass  that  you 
will  have  to  shoot  down  or  stab  your  own  rela- 
tives and  brothers.  Then  seal  your  loyalty  with 
your  heart's  blood !  And  now  go  to  your  homes 
and  fulfil  your  duties. 
— (According  to  the  Breslauer  Lokalanzeiger  of 
December  8.) 

According  to  the  Neisser  Zeitungy  the  second 
paragraph  ran  as  follows: 

Recruits !  You  have  now  before  the  conse- 
crated servant  of  the  Lord  and  before  His  altar, 
sworn  fealty  to  me.  You  are  still  too  young  to 
understand  the  true  meaning  of  what  has  just 
been  said;  but  be  diligent  now  and  follow  the 
directions  and  instructions  given  you.  You  have 
sworn  loyalty  to  me;  that  means,  children  of  my 
guard,  that  you  are  now  my  soldiers,  you  have 
given  yourselves  up  to  me,  body  and  soul;  there 
is  for  you  but  one  enemy,  and  that  is  my  enemy. 
In  view  of  the  present  Sociahstic  agitations  it  may 
come  to  pass  that  I  shall  command  you  to  shoot 

74 


i89i]     THE  EMPEROR'S  FIRST  ARMY  BILL 

your  own  relatives,  brothers,  yes,  parents — which 
God  forbid — but  even  then  you  must  follow  my 
command  without  a  murmur. 

Entirely  similar,  but  shorter,  is  a  clipping  from 
the  Berlin  paper  Das  Folk,  according  to  the  ac- 
count of  one  who  heard  the  speech. 

You  have  sworn  to  me  the  oath  of  loyalty;  that 
means,  from  now  on  you  know  only  one  command, 
and  that  is  my  most  high  command;  you  have 
only  one  enemy,  and  that  is  my  enemy !  And  so 
I  may  sometime — which  God  forbid — have  to  bid 
you  to  shoot  upon  your  own  relatives,  yes,  brothers 
and  parents — then  remember  your  oath  ! 


THE  EMPEROR'S  FIRST  ARMY  BILL 

Berlin,  July  4,  1893 

The  opposition  between  the  Reichstag  and  the 
government  reached  a  climax  when  the  session 
which  opened  in  1886  was  dissolved  in  January, 
1887,  because  it  refused  to  vote  for  the  bill  fixing 
the  army  status  for  the  ensuing  seven  years. 
The  next  Reichstag,  elected  in  February,  voted 
the  bill.  In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  new  ar- 
rangement was  to  have  been  effective  until 
March,  1894,  as  early  as  the  session  of  1890 
changes  were  introduced  which  fixed  the  peace 
footing  at  468,983  men,  exclusive  of  the  one-year 

75 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [July 

volunteers.  In  November,  1892,  a  new  army  bill 
was  presented,  to  run  for  six  years,  fixing  the 
peace  footing  at  492,068.  All  infantrymen  were 
to  serve  two  years.  In  the  debates  of  1887  it  was 
announced  that  Russia  was  an  ally  of  Germany. 
The  failure  to  renew  the  neutrality  agreement 
with  that  power  and  the  growing  rapprochement 
between  France  and  Russia  seems  to  have  been 
most  in  the  Emperor's  mind  in  calling  for  an  in- 
crease. The  increased  appropriation  of  1887  was 
covered  by  a  tax  on  spirits,  sugar,  and  grain. 
The  new  increase  was  to  be  met  by  indirect  taxes, 
mostly  on  beer  and  brandy.  When  the  Reichstag 
refused  to  vote  the  bill  as  it  stood,  it  was  dissolved 
and  a  new  one  called.  The  new  Reichstag,  which 
is  here  addressed,  accepted  the  bill  on  July  15. 
As  much  of  the  opposition  had  been  due  to  the 
fear  of  the  less-favored  classes  that  the  increased 
cost  would  fall  heavily  on  them  through  indirect 
taxes,  the  Chancellor  assured  the  representatives 
(as  the  Emperor  here  indicates)  that  there  would 
be  no  tax  on  beer  or  brandy  nor  any  other  neces- 
sities of  life. 


Since  you  have  been  called  to  work  in  common 
with  the  confederated  governments,  it  is  my  de- 
sire at  the  beginning  of  your  deliberations  to  greet 
you  and  bid  you  welcome. 

The  draft  of  the  bill  concerning  the  peace  foot- 
ing of  the  German  army,  through  which  a  strength- 
ening  of  our    available   force  would   have  been 

76 


1893]     THE  EMPEROR'S  FIRST  ARMY   BILL 

achieved,  was  presented  to  the  last  Reichstag. 
To  my  great  regret  the  project  did  not  meet  with 
the  approval  of  the  representatives  of  the  people. 
The  conviction,  unanimously  shared  by  my  co- 
rulers,  that  in  the  face  of  the  development  of  the 
military  arrangements  of  the  other  powers  this 
government  could  no  longer  put  ofF  such  a  shaping 
of  its  military  status  as  should  guarantee  its  safety 
and  its  future  led  to  the  decision  to  dissolve  the 
Reichstag  and,  by  the  calling  of  new  representa- 
tives to  attain  the  end  recognized  as  necessary. 
Since  the  proposal  of  this  law  the  political  situation 
of  Europe  has  undergone  no  change.  To  my  great 
satisfaction,  the  relations  of  the  empire  to  the 
foreign  states  are  altogether  and  everywhere 
friendly  and  free  from  any  cloud.  The  organized 
military  force  of  Germany,  however,  compares 
still  more  unfavorably  with  that  of  our  neighbors 
than  it  did  last  year.  Since  her  geographical 
position  and  her  historical  development  impose 
upon  Germany  the  duty  of  taking  thought  for  a 
proportionately  large  standing  army,  the  further 
development  of  our  defensive  strength,  therefore, 
with  regard  to  the  progress  of  other  countries  be- 
comes a  pressing  necessity.  In  order  to  satisfy 
the  duties  constitutionally  laid  upon  me,  it  seemed 
to  me  incontrovertible  that  I  should  exercise 
every  existing  means  at  my  command  toward  the 

n 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [July 

restoration  of  a  sufficient  and  effective  defense  of 
the  honor  of  the  Fatherland. 

There  will,  therefore,  be  laid  before  you  with- 
out delay  a  new  bill  concerning  the  peace  footing 
of  the  army.  In  it  the  wishes  which  were  strongly 
expressed  during  the  discussion  of  the  former  bill 
are  taken  account  of,  and,  in  accordance  with  this, 
demands  made  upon  the  personal  capacity  and 
upon  the  people's  ability  to  pay  taxes  have,  in  so 
far  as  this  could  be  done  without  endangering  the 
end  sought,  been  lessened. 

The  interest  of  the  realm  demands,  especially 
in  looking  forward  to  the  impending  expiration  of 
the  seven-year  arrangement  next  spring,  that  the 
bill  should  be  decided  upon  with  all  possible  des- 
patch, in  order  that  this  year's  recruiting  can  be 
undertaken  on  the  new  basis.  A  delay  in  carry- 
ing out  this  proposal  would  be  felt  for  more  than 
twenty  years,  to  the  detriment  of  our  defensive 
strength. 

To  make  it  possible  for  you  to  give  your  undi- 
vided attention  to  the  discussion  of  the  bill,  the 
confederated  governments  will  refrain  from  bur- 
dening the  session  with  other  important  matters. 

I  and  my  honored  corulers  are  still  of  the  opin- 
ion that  the  means  necessary  for  the  reorganiza- 
tion of  our  military  equipment  can  be  raised 
properly,  and  without  overburdening  the  people, 

78 


i893]     THE  EMPEROR'S  FIRST  ARMY  BILL 

in  the  manner  brought  forward  last  autumn  in 
the  -draft  of  the  proposed  taxation  bill.  Never- 
theless, the  question  of  making  good  the  deficit  is 
still  the  object  of  continued  discussions.  I  expect 
that  a  proposal  will  be  set  before  you  by  the  be- 
ginning of  the  next  winter  session  in  which  is  ex- 
pressed, even  more  strongly  than  in  the  former 
bill,  the  principle  that  the  providing  of  the  neces- 
sary means  must  be  carried  out  with  the  utmost 
regard  for  the  individual's  ability  to  pay  and 
with  as  little  draft  as  possible  upon  our  power  of 
levying  taxes.  Until  the  expiration  of  the  present 
official  year  the  contributions  from  the  various 
states  may  be  drawn  upon  to  cover  the  excess. 

Honored  Sirs,  we  have  succeeded  in  the  diffi- 
cult task  of  welding  the  German  race  into  a  strong 
union.  The  nation  honors  those  who  have  given 
their  possessions  and  their  blood  for  this  work 
and  who  have  brought  the  Fatherland  to  political 
and  industrial  prosperity — a  prosperity  which  is 
the  pride  and  the  pleasure  of  their  contemporaries 
and  which,  if  they  build  in  the  same  spirit  as  their 
fathers,  will  guarantee  to  the  generations  to  come 
the  greatness  and  the  happiness  of  the  empire. 
To  protect  the  glorious  acquisitions  with  which 
God  has  blessed  us  in  our  struggle  for  indepen- 
dence is  our  most  sacred  duty.  We  can,  however, 
only  fulfil  such  a  duty  toward  the  Fatherland  by 

79 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

making  ourselves  sufficiently  strong  in  military 
power  to  defend  ourselves,  so  that  we  may  re- 
main a  reliable  guarantor  of  the  peace  of  Europe. 
I  trust  that  your  patriotic,  self-sacrificing  assist- 
ance in  the  pursuance  of  this  aim  will  not  fail  me 
and  my  honored  corulers. 

The  Emperor  followed  the  formal  address  from 
the  throne  with  the  following: 

And  now,  gentlemen,  go  forth.  May  our  an- 
cient God  look  down  upon  you  and  bestow  upon 
you  His  blessing  to  the  end  that  you  may  bring 
to  successful  issue  an  honorable  work  for  the  wel- 
fare of  our  Fatherland  !    Amen. 

ARRIVAL  IN  METZ 

Metz,  September  3,  1893 

On  the  3d  of  September  the  Emperor,  accom- 
panied by  the  Crown  Prince  of  Italy,  paid  a  visit 
to  Metz.  To  Burgomaster  Halm's  speech  of  wel- 
come the  Emperor  replied  as  follows: 

It  is  with  a  heart  deeply  stirred  that  I  enter 
the  city  of  Metz,  and  if  I  could  not  come  last  year, 
as  I  wished,*  I  see,  nevertheless,  that  the  reason 

*  The  Emperor  came  to  Metz  ordinarily  to  review  the  Eighth  and 
Sixteenth  Army  Corps.  Because  of  the  cholera  scare,  the  imperial 
manoeuvres  had  not  taken  place  in  the  previous  year,  1892.  The 
Emperor,  who  was  anxious  to  conciliate  his  subjects,  had  taken 
up  a  domain  in  Urville. 

80 


i893]  DEDICATION  OF  FLAGS 

for  my  remaining  away  has  been  rightly  under- 
stood. 

I  rejoice  to  see  the  monument  to  my  late  grand- 
father at  length  finished  and  to  be  able  to  allow 
my  troops  to  pass  before  it.  Metz  and  my  army 
corps  are  a  corner-stone  in  the  military  might  of 
Germany,  destined  to  protect  the  peace  of  Ger- 
many— yes,  of  all  Europe — and  it  is  my  firm  pur- 
pose to  maintain  this  peace. 

I  thank  the  city  of  Metz  for  its  festive  welcome, 
and  I  pray  you  that  my  thanks  be  made  known  to 
the  citizens  through  an  official  announcement. 
If  I  have  removed  my  headquarters  to  Urville  it 
is  because  as  a  landholder  in  Lorraine  I  could  not 
do  otherwise,  since  my  subjects  in  this  province 
wish  to  have  me  there.  In  token  of  my  imperial 
favor  I  extend  to  the  burgomaster  a  golden  chain 
of  office  which  the  burgomasters  of  Metz  shall  be 
entitled  to  wear  from  this  time  forth.  It  gives 
me  especial  pleasure,  however,  to  be  able  to 
bestow  this  chain  upon  the  present  burgomaster. 

DEDICATION  OF  FLAGS 

Berlin,  October  i8,  1894 

Through  a  reorganization  of  the  army  which 
was  to  be  made  effective  in  the  next  legislative 
session,  a  large  number  of  partial  bodies  of  troops 
were  created  which  were  later  to  be  increased  to 

8i 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

bring  up  the  peace  footing  of  the  army  from  538 
whole  and  173  half  battalions  to  624  whole  bat- 
talions. Every  two  of  these  constitute  a  regi- 
ment and  every  two  regiments  a  brigade.  On 
the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Leipzig  the 
Emperor,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  number  of 
princes,  including  the  young  King  of  Servia, 
turned  over  flags  to  these  troops.  His  statement 
that  the  only  pillar  upon  which  the  empire  rested 
was  the  army  was  strongly  resented  by  many  of 
his  loyal  subjects  of  the  empire  who  happened 
to  be  merely  peaceful  merchants  or  farmers  or 
laborers.  The  Emperor  was  doubtless  provoked 
into  making  the  statement  from  the  fact  that  some 
of  his  legislative  policies  had  met  with  determined 
opposition  on  the  part  of  representatives  of  the 
people.  This  he  has  always  regarded  as  dis- 
loyalty and  as  boding  disaster  to  the  empire. 
Since  the  army's  tradition  for  loyalty  to  the 
imperial  v/ar  lord  renders  opposition  here  im- 
possible, he  saw  in  it  the  only  salvation  of  the 
state. 

In  order  that  they  may  serve  as  a  shining  sym- 
bol of  glory  for  the  troops,  we  have  had  the  bless- 
ing of  Heaven  called  down  upon  the  ensigns  which 
I  have  bestowed  upon  every  fourth  battalion  of 
my  regiments,  and  I  now  turn  them  over  to  the  reg- 
imental commanders  and  to  the  regiments  them- 
selves. This  inspiring  day  is  one  whose  mem- 
ories move  the  world  and  which  marks  an  epoch 

82 


1894]  DEDICATION  OF  FLAGS 

in  our  German  history.  I  first  salute  the  mauso- 
leum of  him*  whose  birthday  was  once  wont  to 
fill  the  entire  German  Fatherland  with  jubilation, 
the  mausoleum  of  him  to  whom  it  was  granted  to 
win  glorious  victories  under  the  eyes  of  the  great, 
heroic  Emperor,  his  father,  and  to  cover  'the 
flags  which  were  consecrated  in  1861  with  glory. 
They  were  nailed  to  their  staffs  in  the  rooms  in 
which  the  history  of  Brandenburg  and  Prussia  is 
immortaUzed  in  paintings.  The  monuments  of 
the  rulers  and  of  the  generals  who  created  the 
glory  of  Prussia  have  looked  down  upon  them. 
These  flags  have  now  been  brought  before  the 
monument  of  the  Prussian  King  who  focussed  the 
eyes  of  the  world  upon  them  in  years  of  fierce 
conflict  and  whose  last  breath  was  a  wish  of 
blessing  for  his  army.  In  the  year  1861,  when 
my  grandfather  undertook  the  reorganization  of 
his  arms,  he  was  misunderstood  by  many  and 
attacked  by  even  more;  nevertheless,  the  future 
gave  him  his  splendid  justification.  Just  as  at 
that  time,  so  now,  too,  distrust  and  discord  are 
rife  among  the  people.  The  only  pillar  on  which 
the  empire  rested  was  the  army.  So  is  it  to-day ! 
The  flags  which  are  assembled  here  are  destined 
for  entire  bodies  of  troops,  and  I  hope  that  the 
half  battalions  to  which  they  are  to-day  delivered 

*  Emperor  Frederick  III. 
83 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

will  soon  stand  as  entire  battalions  in  the  army 
of  the  Fatherland. 

But  you,  gentlemen,  now  take  over  these  en- 
signs and  with  them  the  obligation  of  maintain- 
ing the  tradition  of  devotion,  of  discipline  unto 
death,  of  unconditional  obedience  toward  the 
war  lord  against  all  inward  and  outward  enemies. 
Even  as  heretofore,  may  the  blessing  of  the  Most 
High  rest  upon  our  army,  and  may  the  watchful 
eyes  of  our  ancestors  look  down  upon  and  protect 
Prussia's  army  and  her  flags  !  With  God  for  King 
and  Fatherland ! 


NAVY  RECRUITS 

Kiel,  December  3,  1894 

It  is  part  of  the  Emperor's  duty  to  administer 
the  oath  every  year  to  the  recruits  for  the  navy 
as  well  as  to  the  recruits  for  the  guard.  He  is  in- 
clined to  talk  to  them  usually  in  very  simple  lan- 
guage, as  here,  for  instance.  Indeed,  though  they 
are  usually  twenty  years  of  age,  he  often  addresses 
them  as  the  "children  of  my  guard." 

The  oath  is  holy,  and  holy  is  the  place  in  which 
you  swear  it.  The  altar  and  the  crucifix  bear 
witness  to  this;  it  means  that  we  Germans  are 
Christians,  that  we  at  all  times  first  give  the  glory 
to  God  in  every  affair  that  we  undertake,  esoecially 

84 


1894]  NAVY  RECRUITS 

in  the  highest — that  of  strengthening  the  defense 
of  the  Fatherland.  You  wear  the  uniform  of  the 
Emperor;  you  are  thereby  preferred  over  other 
men,  and  take  your  rank  equally  with  your  com- 
rades of  the  army  and  navy;  you  receive  a  special 
place  and  assume  obligations.  By  many  you  will 
be  envied  because  of  the  uniform  which  you  wear; 
hold  it  in  honor,  and  do  not  besmirch  it;  this  you 
will  accomplish  best  when  you  think  of  your  oath 
— you  especially,  you  people  of  the  sea,  who  so 
often  have  the  opportunity  in  your  various 
journeyings  upon  the  water  to  learn  to  know  the 
almighty  power  of  God  1 

Wherein  lies  the  secret  of  the  fact  that  we  have 
often  overcome  our  adversary  with  lesser  num- 
bers ?  In  discipline.  What  is  discipline  ?  Single- 
hearted  co-operation,  single-hearted  obedience. 
That  our  ancient  forebears  already  clung  to  this 
ideal  a  single  example  will  show:  On  one  occasion 
they  were  marching  to  war  against  the  Romans. 
They  had  climbed  over  the  mountain  and  found 
themselves  suddenly  face  to  face  with  the  huge 
masses  of  the  army.  Then  they  realized  what  a 
difficult  moment  was  before  them.  They  first 
prayed,  giving  God  the  glory,  and  then,  bound 
together  with  chains,  side  by  side,  they  fell  upon 
the  enemies  and  conquered  them.  To-day  we  no 
longer  need  the  actual  chains;  we  have  a  powerful 

85 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

religion  and  our  oath.  Remain  true  to  it,  and 
think  of  it,  whether  you  are  within  the  country  or 
without.  Hold  your  colors  high,  the  black,  white, 
and  red  which  here  stand  before  you,  and  think 
of  your  oath,  think  of  your  Emperor. 

CHRISTENING  OF  A  CRUISER 

Kiel,  March  26,  1895 

The  Emperor,  as  will  be  plain,  took  much  satis- 
faction in  the  development  of  his  navy  and  was 
to  make  innumerable  addresses  on  these  occasions. 
The  present  is  a  fair  type  of  a  number  of  the 
shorter  speeches.  Very  soon  they  were  to  become 
occasions  in  which  he  was  to  broach  the  idea  of 
the  greater  navy.  The  present  address  will  serve 
to  illustrate  the  spirit  he  was  hoping  to  instil  into 
this  branch  of  the  service. 

As  a  testimony  to  the  industry  of  the  Father- 
land, after  the  diligent  labors  of  the  imperial 
dockyards,  this  vessel  now  stands  before  us  ready 
to  be  given  over  to  its  element.  Thou  shalt  now 
be  enrolled  in  the  German  navy.  Thou  shalt 
serve  in  the  protection  of  the  Fatherland  to  bring 
defiance  and  annihilation  to  the  enemy.  The 
names  of  the  ships  which  belong  to  the  same 
class  are  taken  from  the  old  Germanic  sagas. 
Therefore  thou  also  shalt  hark  back  to  the  ancient 
time  of  our  ancestors,  to  the  powerful  divinity  who 

86 


i895l  VISIT  TO  BISMARCK 

was  worshipped  and  feared  by  all  our  German 
seafaring  forefathers  and  whose  mighty  realm 
stretched  from  the  north  even  unto  the  south 
pole,  in  whose  province  the  northern  battles  were 
fought,  and  whence  death  and  destruction  were 
brought  into  the  land  of  the  enemy.  Thou  shalt 
bear  the  name  of  this  great  and  mighty  god. 
Mayst  thou  prove  thyself  worthy  of  it !  So  do  I 
christen  thee  with  the  name  of  ^gir. 


VISIT  TO  BISMARCK 

Friedrichsruh,  March  26,  1895 

Historians  of  modern  Germany  have  discussed 
and  explained  in  various  ways  the  causes  of  the 
retirement  of  Bismarck,  the  "Iron  Chancellor." 
From  the  moment  he  became  "Minister  President 
and  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,"  in  1862,  his  hand 
was  the  hand  that  guided  German  policy,  and  his 
was  the  genius  that  presided  over  and  shaped  the 
unification  of  Germany  and  the  building  of  the 
empire.  It  has  been  truly  said  that  the  biography 
of  Bismarck  is  the  history  of  German  union.  He 
had  been  born  in  Brandenburg  and  spent  his  hfe 
in  the  service  of  the  Prussian  Kings.  It  was  he 
who  in  the  dark  days  preceding  the  victories  of  the 
sixties  had  given  WilUam  I  heart  and  had  pre- 
vented him  from  giving  up  his  task.  It  was, 
therefore,  a  great  shock  to  the  German  world  to 
learn  that,  two  years  after  the  accession  of  William 

87 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

II,  the  great  founder  of  German  unity  had  been 
forced  into  retirement.  There  had  been  rumors 
of  previous  disagreements.  The  German  Chan- 
cellor is  responsible  not  to  the  Reichstag  but 
solely  to  the  Emperor;  he  takes  the  responsibility 
of  shaping  the  imperial  policy.  It  was  said  that 
Bismarck  resented  certain  interference  with  his 
authority  in  his  own  cabinet.  fTt  is  certain  that 
he  looked  with  disfavor  on  the  Emperor's  policy 
with  regard  to  labor  legislation.  With  regard  to 
the  attitude  toward  Russia  there  was  likewise 
disagreement,  and  Bismarck  opposed  the  Em- 
peror's visit  to  Constantinople.  But  aside  from 
these  questions  of  policy,  there  were  deep  psy- 
chological incompatibilities.  Crabbed  age  and 
romantic  youth  could  not  live  together.  Further- 
more, the  Emperor  wished  to  take  the  credit  for 
initiating  and  carrying  through  his  own  policies. 
He  was  not  content  to  be  a  shadow  king.  Bis- 
marck, after  nearly  forty  years  of  service,  was  not 
willing  to  be  a  puppet  chancellor.  He  insisted 
on  the  form  of  cabinet  government  decreed  in 
1852.  The  Emperor's  disposition  of  mind  may 
be  gathered  from  the  following  extracts  from  a 
speech  delivered  shortly  before  Bismarck's  retire- 
ment, and  it  should  be  remembered  that  at  this 
time  Bismarck  was  far  from  being  an  enthusiastic 
supporter  of  certain  measures  then  taking  shape 
in  the  mind  of  William  II.  On  the  5th  of  March, 
1890,  the  Emperor  announced  to  the  Branden- 
burgers:  "All  those  who  wish  to  help  me  in  this 
work  I  bid  heartily  welcome,  whoever  they  may 
be;  but  all  those  (whoever  they  may  be)  who  op- 


i89s]  VISIT  TO  BISMARCK 

pose  me  in  this  work  I  shall  smash  to  pieces" 
\zerschmettern).  Bismarck  was  forced  to  offer  his 
resignation  two  weeks  later.  Besides  his  ducal 
title,  he  was  given  the  honorary  title  of  general 
of  cavalry,  with  the  rank  of  field-marshal.  _3fe=_ 
cause  of_his_0£pasition,  he  was  treated  in  the  fol- 
lowing years  with  extreme  coolness  and  occasion- 
ally as  an  enemy.  The  German  ambassador  at 
Vienna  was  instructed  from  Berlin,  on  the  occa- 
sion of  the  marriage  of  Bismarck's  son,  not  to 
accept  an  invitation  to  the  wedding.  Foreign 
ambassadors  were  informed  that  for  the  Emperor 
there  were  two  Bismarcks:  the  former  responsi- 
ble servant  and  the  present  irresponsible  subject. 
The  honors  given  him  were  not  generally  honors 
due  a  great  ex-chancellor,  but  honors  due  a  mili- 
tary officer.  "Living,"  said  Bismarck,  "they 
give  me  the  honors  of  the  dead."  On  this,  his 
eightieth  birthday,  the  Reichstag  voted  down  the 
proposal  that  they  send  him  their  congratulations^ 
The  Emperor,  with  an  exclusively' military  suite, 
however,  paid  him  this  visit  and  presented  him 
with  a  sword  engraved  with  his  arms  and  with  the 
arms  of  the  conquered  provinces,  Alsace-Lorraine. 
In  all  probability,  Bismarck  felt  the  lack  of  men- 
tion of  his  services  as  Chancellor;  his  entirely 
diplomatic  reply  printed  below  would  seem  to  in- 
dicate this. 

Your  Highness: 

Our  whole  Fatherland  decks  itself  out  to  cele- 
brate your  birthday.      This  day   belongs  to  the 

89 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

army.  Its  first  duty  is  to  do  honor  to  its  com- 
rades, to  its  old  officers,  whose  efficiency  made  it 
possible  for  it  to  carry  through  the  mighty  deeds 
which  found  their  reward  in  the  crowning  of  a  re- 
generated Fatherland. 

The  military  host  which  stands  gathered  here 
is  a  symbol  of  the  whole  army,  especially  this  regi- 
ment which  has  the  honor  of  calHng  your  Highness 
its  commander,  and  especially  that  standard  which 
reminds  us  of  the  fame  of  Brandenburg  and  Prus- 
sia, which  dates  from  the  time  of  the  Great  Elector 
and  is  consecrated  by  the  blood  shed  at  Mars-la- 
Tour.  Your  Highness  will  see  in  spirit,  behind 
this  gathering  of  troops,  the  collected  army  of  the 
entire  German  race  in  battle  array  to  celebrate 
this  day  with  us. 

In  sight  of  this  host,  I  come  now  to  present  to 
your  Highness  my  gift.  I  could  find  no  better 
token  than  a  sword,  this  noblest  weapon  of  the 
Germans;  a  symbol  of  that  instrument  which 
your  Highness  with  my  late  grandfather  helped 
to  shape,  to  sharpen,  and  also  to  wield;  the  symbol 
of  that  great,  powerful  period  of  building  whose 
mortar  was  blood  and  iron;  that  weapon  which 
is  never  dismayed  and  which,  when  necessary,  in 
the  hands  of  kings  and  princes  will  defend  against 
internal  foes  that  unity  of  the  Fatherland  which 
it   had   once   conquered    from   the   foes  without. 

90 


i89s]        THE  EMPEROR  WILLIAM  CANAL 

May  your  Highness  be  good  enough  to  notice  the 
linking  of  your  arms  with  those  of  Alsace-Lor- 
raine here  engraved  and  feel  again  all  that  history 
which  found  its  conclusion  in  the  events  of  twenty- 
five  years  ago ! 

But  we  comrades  call  out:  His  Highness,  Prince 
Bismarck,  Duke  of  Lauenburg — Hurrah !  Hurrah ! 
Hurrah ! 

Bismarck  replied  with  more  pith: 

Your  Majesty  will  allow  me  to  lay  my  humblest 
thanks  at  your  feet.  My  military  position  with 
regard  to  your  Majesty  does  not  permit  me  to 
further  express  my  feehngs  to  your  Majesty.  I 
thank  your  Majesty. 


OPENING  OF  THE  EMPEROR  WILLIAM 
CANAL 

KielJune_2I^_i89S 

In  furthering  Germany's  economic  and  indus- 
trial development,  the  building  of  canals  has 
served  an  important  function  in  reducing  the  cost 
of  transportation  and  in  making  possible  com- 
petition with  other  nations.  Although  the  Em- 
peror William  Canal  was  an  idea  of  Bismarck's, 
his  name  is  not  here  mentioned.  Emperor  Wil- 
liam n  has  taken  a  very  lively  interest  in  this  de- 

91 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

velopment  of  inland  waterways  and  has  rendered 
a  great  service  to  the  industrial  development  of 
his  country  in  this  regard. 

In  memory  of  Emperor  William  the  Great,  I 
baptize  the  canal  "Emperor  WilUam  Canal." 

The  Emperor  then  accompanied  his  three  ham- 
mer strokes  with  the  following  words:  "In  the 
name  of  the  Triune  God,  to  the  honor  of  Emperor 
WilHam,  to  the  blessing  of  Germany,  and  to  the 
welfare  of  the  people  !" 

He  proposed  this  toast  at  the  banquet: 

I  behold  with  pleasure  and  with  pride  this  bril- 
hant  and  festive  gathering,  and  in  the  name  of 
my  honored  colleagues  I  bid  you  all,  the  guests 
of  the  empire,  most  heartily  welcome.  We  wish 
to  express  our  inmost  thanks  for  the  interest  you 
have  taken  in  the  completion  of  a  work  which, 
begun  in  peace  and  accomplished  in  peace,  is 
to-day  given  over  to  general  trade. 

It  is  not  only  in  our  own  day  that  the  idea  first 
existed  of  joining  the  North  and  Baltic  Seas  by  a 
great  canal;  far  back  in  the  Middle  Ages  we  find 
drafts  and  plans  for  the  working  out  of  this  under- 
taking. In  the  past  century  the  Eider  Canal  was 
built,  which,  while  it  affords  a  wonderful  example 
of  the  abiUty  of  that  day,  still,  as  it  was  intended 
only  for  the  passage  of  the  smaller  craft,  could  not 

92 


i895l        THE   EMPEROR  WILLIAM  CANAL 

satisfy  the  increased  demands  of  the  present  day. 
It  remained  for  the  newly  founded  German  Em- 
pire to  find  a  satisfactory  solution  for  this  great 
problem. 

It  was  my  immortal  grandfather,  his  Majesty, 
Emperor  William  the  Great,  who,  thoroughly  ap- 
preciating the  significance  of  the  canal  for  in- 
creasing the  national  welfare  and  strengthening 
our  defense,  devoted  his  unflagging  interest  to  the 
plan  for  the  building  of  an  effective  waterway 
between  the  North  and  the  Baltic  Seas  and  for 
overcoming  the  many  obstacles  which  stood  in  the 
way  of  its  accomplishment.  Joyfully  and  con- 
fidently the  affiliated  rulers  of  the  empire,  as  well 
as  the  Reichstag,  followed  the  imperial  initiative, 
and  for  eight  years  the  work  was  industriously 
carried  on  which,  as  it  approached  completion, 
aroused  in  ever-increasing  measure  the  public  in- 
terest. What  technic  on  the  basis  of  its  great 
development  has  been  able  to  accomplish,  what 
was  possible  through  pride  and  joy  in  the  work, 
what  finally  could  be  done  in  promoting  the  wel- 
fare of  the  numberless  workers  engaged  in  the 
task,  in  accordance  with  the  principles  of  the 
humane  social  politics  of  the  empire,  has.  been 
accomplished  in  this  undertaking.  Therefore  the 
Fatherland  dare  rejoice  with  me  and  my  noble 
colleagues  in  the  success  of  this  enterprise. 

93 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR       [June,  1895 

However,  we  have  worked  not  only  for  our  own 
interests.  In  accordance  with  the  great  cultural 
mission  of  the  German  people,  we  open  the  locks 
of  the  canal  to  the  peaceful  trading  of  the  nations 
with  each  other,  and  it  will  give  us  great  satisfac- 
tion if  its  increasing  use  shall  prove  not  only  that 
the  intentions  by  which  we  were  led  are  under- 
stood but  that  they  are  becoming  fruitful  in  in- 
creasing the  welfare  of  the  people. 

The  interest  in  our  celebration  on  the  part  of 
the  powers  whose  representatives  we  see  among 
us,  and  whose  magnificent  ships  we  have  to-day 
admired,  I  greet  with  greater  joy  the  more  I  have 
the  right  to  see  in  it  the  complete  justification  of 
our  efforts  directed  toward  the  righteous  main- 
tenance of  peace.  Germany  will  also  place  the 
work  inaugurated  to-day  in  the  service  of  peace 
and  will  consider  herself  fortunate  if  the  Emperor 
William  Canal  strengthens  and  promotes  in  this 
service  for  all  time  our  friendly  relations  with  the 
other  powers. 

I  empty  my  glass  to  the  friendly  sovereigns  and 
powers.     Hurrah!     Hurrah!     Hurrah! 


94 


IV 

THE  BEGINNING  OF  WORLD 
POLITICS 

June  i6,  1896 — March  22,  1905 
THE  BEGINNING  OF  WORLD  POLITICS 

Berlin,  June  16,  1896 

It  is  difficult  to  fix  any  definite  date  at  which 
any  new  movement  in  poHtics  may  be  said  to  have 
begun.  Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1894  there 
appear  unmistakable  signs  of  a  new  dispensa- 
tion. In  this  year  Caprivi,  Bismarck's  successor 
as  Chancellor,  retired  in  favor  of  Prince  Hohen- 
lohe.  The  latter  appears  in  his  new  office  for 
the  first  time  in  the  session  of  the  Reichstag  which 
opened  December  5,  1894.  In  that  session  the 
insufficient  protection  of  Germans  residing  in  for- 
eign lands  was  repeatedly  insisted  upon,  and  the 
colonizing  spirit  and  the  agitation  for  a  very  con- 
siderable increase  in  the  navy  began  to  make  them- 
selves felt.  The  building  of  three  new  cruisers 
was  authorized,  but  the  plan  to  erect  a  dry  dock 
at  Kiel  was  rejected.  The  year  1895  was  to  be 
crowded  with  festivals  celebrating  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversaries  of  the  victories  of  the  Franco- 
Prussian  War,  and  there  resulted  a  consequent 
impetus  to  what  might  be  called  nascent  imperial- 
ism.    This  was   further   stimulated   by   outward 

95 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

Its.  In  1895  France,  Germany,  and  Russia 
■ervened  between  Japan  and  China,  then  at 
^ar.  In  1897  Germany  seized  and  then  leased 
Kiaochow  from  China  for  ninety-nine  years  and 
intervened  in  the  war  between  Greece  and  Turkey 
^on  behalf  of  the  Turks.  She  began,  therefore, 
to  take  a  more  prominent  part  in  world  politics 
and  definitely  entered  upon  her  policy  of  ex- 
pansion. The  German  people  felt  that  this  was 
rendered  necessary  by  the  fact  that  Germany 
had  become  a  great  industrial  and  exporting 
nation,  whose  interests  demanded  insistence  on 
the  "open-door"  policy.  Her  rapidly  increasing 
population  (the  annual  increase  was  between 
800,000  and  900,000)  also,  we  are  told,  made 
necessary  the  creation  of  new  colonies  to  take  care 
of  surplus  population  and  to  provide  sustenance 
for  those  at  home  who  were  being  drawn  off  into 
industrial  pursuits. 

It  should  be  remembered  in  this  connection,  how- 
ever, that  emigration  from  Germany  is  very  far 
from  being  on  the  increase.  It  has  diminished 
astonishingly  since  1880.  In  the  decade  from 
1880  to  1890  the  annual  emigration  averaged 
about  135,000,  and  in  1881  it  reached  its  highest 
point,  220,000.  In  the  decade  from  1900  to  1910 
it  never  in  any  one  year  ran  over  37,000  and 
averaged  about  27,000 — in  other  words,  it  had 
declined,  in  spite  of  the  increase  in  population  and 
in  the  number  of  colonies,  to  one  fifth  of  its  former 
proportions.  The  figures  have  only  a  relative 
significance.  The  annual  emigration  from  Bel- 
gium, for  instance,  which  has  little  more  than  one 

96 


1896]        BEGINNING  OF  WORLD  POLITICS 

tenth  the  population  of  Germany,  was  considerably 
higher,  averaging  35,000  annually  for  the  years 
from  1906  to  1 9 10.  The  annual  emigration  from 
the  United  Kingdom  to  places  outside  of  Europe 
in  the  same  period  was  approximately  532,000 
annually.  As,  therefore,  German  emigration  has 
in  the  last  quarter  century  steadily  declined,  it 
may  be  safely  inferred  that  the  problem  of  finding 
colonies  for  her  surplus  population  is  not  now,  at 
least,  a  more  pressing  one  for  Germany  than  it 
was  twenty-five  years  ago. 

A  conscientious  American  student  of  con- 
temporary politics  has  said  quite  justly  that  **the 
most  vital  and  burning  problem  in  the  world  to- 
day" is  the  problem  of  Germany's  Weltpolitik. 
It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  volume  to  enter  into 
questions  of  controversy.  He  who  wishes,  how- 
ever, to  understand  Germany's  position  and  the 
Emperor's  position  toward  the  world  to-day  must 
consider  carefully  not  only  the  problem  itself 
but  some  of  its  practical  implications.  In  one  of 
his  bursts  of  enthusiasm  the  Emperor  will  tell 
us  later*  that  this  policy  implies  that  no  question 
in  the  world — no  question  of  international  politics, 
in  other  words — is  to  be  decided  without  Germany. 
This  would  mean,  strictly  interpreted,  that  no 
transfer  or  change  of  status  in  colonial  possessions — 
Cuba  or  the  PhiUppines,  for  instance — no  inter- 
national canal,  Hke  Panama,  could  be  made  with- 

*  "  Germany's  greatness  makes  it  impossible  for  her  to  do  with- 
out the  ocean — but  the  ocean  also  proves  that  even  in  the  distance, 
and  on  its  farther  side,  without  Germany  and  the  German  Emperor 
no  great  decision  dare  henceforth  be  taken."     (July  3,  1900.) 

97 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

out  her  sanction.  And  there  are  those  in  Germany, 
like  Doctor  Liman,  who  believe  that  this  doctrine 
should  have  been  more  rigidly  maintained  than 
had  hitherto  been  the  case.  A  priori,  Germany 
is,  of  course,  as  much  entitled  to  the  right  to  pursue 
such  a  policy  as  any  other  power.  Ethically,  how- 
ever— if  ethics  have  any  place  in  the  discussion — 
it  must  be  the  result  which  justifies  such  a  policy: 
not  the  results  merely  to  the  nation  pursuing  the 
poHcy  but  the  results  also  to  the  nation  or  tribe 
at  whose  expense  the  poHcy  is  pursued.  In  the 
utiHtarian  phrase,  it  must  redound  to  the  greater 
good  of  the  greater  number. 

A  dispassionate  consideration  of  Prussia's  treat- 
ment of  her  dependencies  must  convince  any  ex- 
cept the  most  partisan  that  her  eflForts  here  have 
been  far  less  successful  than  those  of  most  other 
nations,  if  they  are  not  to  be  qualified  as  utter 
and  absolute  failures.  Chancellor  Caprivi  had 
said  quite  justly  that  the  worst  blow  an  enemy 
could  give  him  would  be  to  force  more  territories 
in  Africa  upon  him.  Nevertheless,  Germany  has 
since  Caprivi's  time  and  at  imminent  risk  of  war 
acquired  further  African  possessions.  The  attempt 
to  colonize  Africa,  begun,  as  we  have  seen,  by  the 
Great  Elector,  was  Germany's  first  venture  in 
this  field.  Yet  at  no  time  did  the  Germans  seem 
to  get  on  well  with  the  blacks.  In  the  Emperor's 
speeches  to  the  Reichstag  he  has  spoken  of  his  de- 
sire to  introduce  Christian  customs  and  Christian 
morahty  among  the  negroes.  Yet  his  attempts 
here  were  hardly  successful.  The  Herreros  in 
Southwest  Africa   revolted   and   massacred   Ger- 

98 


1896]        BEGINNING  OF  WORLD  POLITICS 

man  colonists,  sparing  the  Boers  and  English  who 
had  come  before  the  German  occupation.  Doctor 
Gibbons  tells  us  that  the  suppression  of  this  rebel- 
lion took  more  than  a  year  and  cost  Germany  an 
appalling  sum  of  money  and  many  lives.  But  it 
cost  the  natives  more.  Two  thirds  of  the  nation 
of  the  Herreros  were  massacred,  and,  while  only 
six  or  seven  thousand  were  in  arms,  the  German 
official  report  states  that  forty  thousand  were 
killed.  The  Germans  confiscated  all  the  lands  of 
the  natives.  In  1906,  after  twenty-one  years  of 
German  rule,  there  were  in  Southwest  Africa 
sixteen  thousand  prisoners  of  war  out  of  a  total 
native  population  of  thirty-one  thousand.  All 
the  natives  lived  in  concentration  camps  and 
were  forced  to  work  for  the  government.  It  may 
be  conceded  that  Germany's  problem  here  was  a 
difficult  one;  it  must  also  be  recognized  that  her 
policy  had  been  neither  of  advantage  to  the  na- 
tives nor  to  Germany  herself. 

In  other  cases,  where  the  problem  would  seem  to 
have  been  simpler,  the  results  have  likewise  been 
disastrous.  It  is  not  our  purpose  to  give  the 
reasons  but  to  state  the  facts.  After  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  years  of  incorporation  into  Prussia 
the  Poles  of  East  Prussia  have  in  large  part  not 
been  amalgamated  and  are  still  the  victims  of 
discriminatory  legislation.  In  judging  such  a 
policy  it  is  not  merely  a  question  as  to  whether 
Alsace-Lorraine,  for  instance,  did  or  did  not  once 
belong  to  Germany.  Morally  it  is  difficult  to  con- 
cede to  any  nation  the  right  to  govern  any  popula- 
tion which  it  makes  permanently  unhappy.    After 

99 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [June 

forty-four  years  the  problem  of  Alsace-Lorraine 
seemed  to  be  very  little  nearer  a  solution  than  it 
was  at  its  inception.  It  is  a  mistake  to  believe 
that  the  discontent  was  due  principally  to  the 
fact  that  the  inhabitants  must  transfer  their  al- 
legiance from  France  to  Germany.  The  dis- 
content was  due  to  the  empire's  refusal  to  give 
the  population  rights  and  status  compatible  with 
their  self-respect  as  enhghtened  subjects  of  a 
twentieth-century  government.  Men  of  German 
as  well  as  of  French  descent,  and  even  German 
emigrants  who  were  induced  to  settle  in  the  prov- 
ince since  1870,  took  part  in  the  opposition.  In  a 
recent  haphazard  Hst  of  the  "real  leaders''  of 
Alsace-Lorraine,  we  find  the  following  six  names: 
Wetterle,  Preiss,  Blumenthal,  Weber,  Bucher, 
and  Theodor.  Of  these  the  last  five,  at  least,  are 
wholly  or  in  part  of  German  descent.  Yet  the 
most  serious  demonstration  in  Metz  since  its  an- 
nexation took  place  in  June,  1910.  On  July  25 
of  that  same  year,  for  the  first  time  since  the 
University  of  Strasburg  had  been  re-established 
by  the  Germans,  a  professor  was  hissed  out  of  his 
lecture-room;  and,  as  we  have  seen,  in  spite  of  an 
energetic  propaganda  by  German  newspapers,  in 
191 2  more  Alsacians  enhsted  in  the  French  For- 
eign Legion  than  in  any  single  year  since  1871. 
The  situation  in  that  province  has  been  already 
discussed  in  connection  with  the  Emperor's  speech 
of  March  14,  1891.  Quite  evidently,  the  problem 
there  was  hardly  on  the  way  to  successful  solution 
in  August,  1914.  Of  course,  Germany's  success  in 
colonizing  is  not  the  only  question  to  be  con- 

100 


1896]        BEGINNING  OF  WORLD  POLITICS 

sidered   with    regard   to   her    Weltpolitik.     It   is, 
however,  an  essential  factor. 

As  will  be  evident  from  subsequent  addresses, 
it  was  the  Emperor  who  everywhere  gave  the 
initial  impulse.  Whether  or  not  he  involved  him- 
self in  contradictions  here,  the  student  must  de- 
cide. To  certain  of  his  subjects  he  appeared  to 
be  doing  so,  and  it  was  for  this  reason  that  one 
of  his  hostile  critics.  Doctor  Liman,  tells  us  in 
bitterness  that  German  politics  of  the  last  twenty 
years  is  *'a  fantastic  mixture  of  tearful  longing 
for  peace  and  an  inflated  desire  for  prestige." 
("Der  Kaiser,"  p.  317.)  The  present  empire  had 
been  proclaimed  on  the  i8th  of  January,  1871, 
and  the  anniversary  marked  the  crowning  cele- 
bration of  the  year.  In  his  speech  the  Emperor 
announces  that  "The  German  Empire  has  be- 
come a  world-empire."  This  may  be  said  to  pro- 
vide the  key  to  his  subsequent  policy  and  to  mark 
the  dawning  of  a  new  era.  The  address  was  de- 
livered at  a  dinner  held  in  the  Royal  Palace. 

The  present  day,  like  the  entire  year  in  all  its 
festivities,  is  a  day  of  grateful  retrospect.  It  is 
a  continued  high  festival  of  gratitude  for  and  in 
commemoration  of  the  great  departed  Emperor. 
A  blessing  rests  upon  the  present  day,  and  over 
it  hovers  the  spirit  of  him  who  lies  in  Charlotten- 
burg,*  and  of  him  who  sleeps  in  the  Friedens- 
kirche.t     What  our  fathers  had  hoped  and  what 

*  Emperor  William  I,  f  Emperor  Frederick  IIL 

lOI 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

German  youth  in  her  dreams  had  sung  and  de- 
sired it  was  granted  to  them,  the  two  Emperors,  to 
achieve;  working  with  the  princes,  it  was  granted 
to  them  to  reconquer  and  re-establish  the  German 
Empire.  We  are  privileged  gratefully  to  enjoy  its 
advantages;  we  have  a  right  to  rejoice  on  the  pres- 
ent day.  Nevertheless,  it  is  our  earnest  duty  to 
maintain  what  the  great  lords  have  won  for  us. 
The  German  Empire  has  become  a  world-empire. 
Everywhere  in  distant  quarters  of  the  earth  thou- 
sands of  our  countrymen  are  living.  German 
guardians,  German  science,  German  industry  are 
going  across  the  sea.  The  value  of  what  Germany 
has  upon  the  seas  amounts  to  thousands  of  mil- 
lions. It  is  your  earnest  duty,  gentlemen,  to  help 
to  bind  this  greater  German  Empire  firmly  to 
our  ancestral  home.  The  vow  which  I  made  you 
to-day  can  become  truth  only  if  you  are  animated 
by  a  united  patriotic  spirit  and  grant  me  your 
fullest  support.  It  is  my  wish  that,  standing  in 
closest  union,  you  help  me  to  do  my  duty  not  only 
to  my  countrymen  in  a  narrower  sense  but  also 
to  the  many  thousands  of  countrymen  in  foreign 
lands.  This  means  that  I  may  be  able  to  protect 
them  if  I  must.  It  is  with  this  wish,  and  deeply 
conscious  of  the  injunction  which  is  issued  to  us 
all — "What  you  have  inherited  from  your  fathers, 
conquer  it  in  order  that  you  may  possess  it" — that 

102 


1896]     TO  THE   RECRUITS  FOR  THE  NAVY 

I  raise  my  glass  to  our  beloved  German  Fatherland 
and  call  out:  Long  live  the  German  Empire! — 
once  again,  may  it  live ! — and  a  third  time,  long 
live  the  Empire ! 


TO  THE  RECRUITS  FOR  THE  NAVY 

WiLHELMSHAVEN,    FEBRUARY    21,    1896 

On  the  occasion  of  administering  the  oath  to 
the  naval  recruits  at  Wilhelmshaven  the  Emperor 
delivered  the  following  address: 

In  the  sight  of  God  and  of  His  servants  you  have 
sworn  to  me  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  I  expect 
from  you  that  you  will  become  good  and  sturdy 
sailors.  Keep  to  what  you  have  sworn,  for  "one 
man,  one  word."  The  soldiers  of  the  army  fre- 
quently have  the  occasion  to  show  what  they  have 
learned  and  what  they  are  capable  of  under  the 
eyes  of  their  superiors.  This  is  not  true  in  the 
navy,  for  many  of  you  will  be  for  years  in  foreign 
waters.  But  you  must  not  think  that  on  that 
account  my  eyes  have  been  turned  away  from  you. 

In  relation  to  other  navies  our  own  navy  is  still 
small,  is  in  the  budding  stage;  but  through  our 
discipline  we  must  become  strong  and  by  it  com- 
pensate for  all  that  we  lack  in  material  strength. 
What  is  discipline  ?     Nothing  but   the   uncondi- 

103 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

tional  subjection  of  our  own  will  to  a  higher  will. 
Even  if  every  one  intends  to  do  good,  he  must 
none  the  less  subordinate  his  intention  to  the  good 
of  the  whole.  Only  by  holding  together  can  we 
create  a  firm  body  that  will  be  able  to  accompHsh 
something  complete  and  great. 


A  TOAST  TO  THE  RUSSIAN  EMPEROR  AND 
EMPRESS 

St.  Petersburg,  August  8,  1897 

The  visit  which  the  Czar  had  paid  Emperor 
WilUam  at  Breslau  the  year  before  (September  5, 
1896)  had  led  to  unfortunate  consequences.  The 
Czar,  in  his  answer  to  the  wishes  of  the  Emperor 
that  the  two  empires  might  draw  more  closely 
together,  had  announced,  according  to  the  official 
report,  that  he  was  animated  by  the  same  tradi- 
tional sentiments  as  his  Majesty,  Emperor  Wil- 
liam II.  Certain  important  papers  printed  a 
reading  which  made  it  appear  that  the  Czar  had 
said  that  he  shared  the  same  feelings  which  had 
moved  his  father  (who  was  notoriously  anti- 
German).  The  State  Secretary,  Von  Marschall, 
was  drawn  into  an  ugly  suit  as  a  result.  It  was 
stated  that  the  Foreign  Office  was  involved.  Al- 
though this  was  not  true,  it  left  a  decidedly  bad 
impression,  and  several  officials  resigned. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  the  German  Em- 
peror and  Empress  to  St.  Petersburg  they  were 
greeted  by  a  most  friendly  address  of  welcome 

104 


i897]  A  TOAST  TO  THE   CZAR 

from  the  Czar,  and  Emperor  William  II  was  made 
an  admiral  of  the  Russian  fleet.  On  this  occasion 
he  offered  the  following  toast  to  the  Russian  Em- 
peror and  Empress: 


In  the  name  of  her  Majesty,  the  Empress,  and 
in  my  own,  I  thank  your  Majesty  warmly  for  the 
hearty  and  magnificent  reception  which  you  have 
given  us  and  for  the  gracious  words  with  which 
your  Majesty  has  so  lovingly  bid  us  welcome.  At 
the  same  time,  with  deep  feeUng  I  would  like  to 
lay  at  the  feet  of  your  Majesty  my  grateful  ac- 
knowledgment for  the  renewed  and  unexpected 
distinction  which  your  Majesty  has  conferred  upon 
me  in  giving  me  a  place  in  your  glorious  fleet. 
This  is  a  particular  honor,  which  I  appreciate  at 
its  full  significance  and  which  is  also  a  distinction 
conferred  very  particularly  upon  my  navy.  In 
my  appointment  as  a  Russian  admiral  I  see  not 
only  an  honor  conferred  upon  my  person  but  also 
a  new  evidence  for  the  perpetuation  of  the  close 
relationship,  traditional  and  unshakable,  which 
exists  between  our  two  empires.  The  unalterable 
decision  of  your  Majesty  to  preserve  now  and 
hereafter  peace  for  your  people  finds  in  me  also 
a  joyful  echo,  and  wandering  together  in  the  same 
way  we  two  shall  strive  in  concert,  under  the  bless- 
ing of  this  peace,  to  guide  the  cultural  development 

105 


THE   GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

of  our  peoples.  My  whole  people  is  behind  me, 
I  know,  as  I  confidently  lay  this  renewed  pledge 
in  the  hands  of  your  Majesty — I  shall  bestow 
upon  your  Majesty  my  most  powerful  support 
and  stand  at  your  side  with  all  my  heart  in  this 
great  work  of  preserving  the  peace  for  the  nations 
and  in  directing  my  strength  against  any  one  who 
might  attempt  to  disturb  or  break  this  peace.  I 
drink  to  the  health  of  their  Majesties,  the  Emperor 
and  the  Empress  !  [These  last  words  the  Emperor 
spoke  in  Russian.] 

THE  ARMY  TRADITION 

CoBLENTZ,  August  30,  1897 

On  this  date  the  Emperor  reviewed  the  great 
parade  of  the  Eighth  Army  Corps,  under  the 
leadership  of  the  commanding  general,  the  Grand 
Duke  of  Baden.  At  the  dinner  after  the  review 
the  Emperor  offered  the  following  toast.  The  ad- 
dress illustrates  what  Doctor  Liman  calls  the  ro- 
manticism of  the  Empveror.  He  is  easily  impressed 
by  his  surroundings  and  speaks  with  particular 
animation  and  fervor  on  the  occasions  (and  they 
are  frequent)  in  which  the  memories  of  his  ances- 
tors are  brought  back  to  him: 

A  review  in  the  Rhine  country,  what  an  en- 
trancing and  what  a  beautiful  picture !  But  a 
review  on  the  shores  of  the  River  Rhine  itself, 

106 


i897l  THE  ARMY  TRADITION 

and  in  sight  of  the  old  historic  city  of  Coblentz — 
how  this  appeals  to  our  hearts  !  The  sight  of  the 
soldierly  sons  of  the  Rhine  country,  under  the 
command  of  your  Royal  Highness,  has  moved 
me  to  deep  joy.  But  it  moves  me  with  deep  sad- 
ness, Ukewise,  for  the  place  on  which  we  stand 
and  the  city  in  which  we  tarry  is  a  witness  to 
a  great  time  and  reminds  us  of  great  names  and 
figures. 

We,  therefore,  do  not  wish  to  forget  that  the 
time*  which  Emperor  William  the  Great  spent  in 
Coblentz  was  of  deepest  significance,  especially 
for  us  in  the  army.  Here  the  work  which  he  was 
called  upon  to  carry  through  came  to  maturity; 
here  it  was  granted  him  in  quiet  retirement  to 
work  out  the  organization  of  his  army,  which  was 
often  attacked  with  animosity  and  often  misunder- 
stood but  which  has  so  magnificently  justified  it- 
self. His  nation  under  arms  has  proved  in  three 
victorious  wars  that  he  was  right. 

And  now  let  us  turn  from  our  glance  into  the 
past  to  the  present  day.  The  splendid  corps 
which  I  took  from  the  hands  of  a  general  [Vogel 
von  Falckenstein]  whose  name  spelled  bravery, 
whose  conduct,  chivalry,  and  whose  life,  fidelity  on 
the  battle-field  and  in  peace,  I  have  now  given 
over  to  you,  the    grandson  of  the  great  Emperor, 

*  1850-7. 
107 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

the  son*  of  the  lofty  Princess  who  would  not 
be  deprived  of  the  pleasure  of  appearing  here 
to-day  and,  in  the  spirit  of  her  great  departed 
mother,  of  celebrating  and  tarrying  for  a  while 
with  us  in  memories. 

The  corps  has  been  honored  by  the  fact  that 
his  Royal  Highness,  the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  who 
was  for  a  long  time  the  highest  in  command  of 
the  brave  British  army,  has  decided  to  appear 
here  and  to  lead  before  me  his  gallant  historic  reg- 
iment. I  express  my  hearty  thanks  to  your  Royal 
Highness.  The  corps,  is  indeed,  highly  fortunate 
in  this.  We  are  privileged  to  greet  in  the  noble 
person  of  your  Royal  Highness  an  associate,  a  con- 
temporary of  our  departed  great  Emperor,  about 
whom  I  know  particularly  that  he  always  spoke 
with  deepest  respect  and  greatest  friendship  of 
your  Royal  Highness,  and  that  he  always  praised 
your  Royal  Highness's  military  achievements. 

My  dear  Fritz  [turning  to  his  Royal  Highness, 
the  hereditary  Grand  Duke],  to-day's  parade  does 
you  and  the  corps  great  honor  in  every  respect, 

*  The  hereditary  Grand  Duke  of  Baden  at  this  time  was  Frederick 
William,  born  July  9,  1857,  son  of  the  Grand  Duke  Frederick  I  and 
the  Grand  Duchess  Louise-Marie,  Princess  of  Prussia.  The  Grand 
Duchess  Louise-Marie  was  the  daughter  of  Emperor  William  L 
The  hereditary  Grand  Duke,  who  since  the  death  of  his  father,  in 
1907,  has  been  reigning  Grand  Duke  of  Baden,  is  therefore  a  grand- 
son of  William  I  and  first  cousin  of  the  present  Emperor,  which  will 
explain  the  somewhat  unusual  familiarity  of  the  Emperor's  address. 

108 


i897l  A  TOAST 

and  we  can  say  with  a  clear  conscience  that  the 
sons  of  the  Rhineland  who  have  marched  by 
to-day  will  do  their  duty  as  completely,  and  that 
they  are  as  well  trained  and  as  brave  as  they  were 
in  the  time  of  the  great  Emperor.  It  is  our  duty 
to  maintain,  in  all  its  parts,  the  army,  the  work  of  the 
great  Emperor,  against  every  influence  and  to  defend 
it  against  every  opposition  from  without,  and  I  hope 
that  every  general  will  be  as  faithful  and  as  upright 
as  you  are,  and  that  he  will  strive  to  achieve  this  aim 
in  his  field  with  as  good  results  as  you  have  done. 
With  this  hope  I  raise  my  glass  and  drink  to 
the  health  of  the  Eighth  Army  Corps  and  its  com- 
manding general.  The  Eighth  Army  Corps! 
Hurrah  !     Hurrah  !     Hurrah  ! 


TOAST  TO  THE  ITALIAN  KING  AND  QUEEN 

HoMBURG,  September  4,  1897 

On  this  day  the  Emperor  reviewed  the  Eleventh 
Army  Corps,  which  was  under  the  command  of 
General  von  Wittich,  in  the  presence  of  the  Em- 
press and  of  the  King  and  Queen  of  Italy.  At  the 
banquet  which  followed  in  the  Castle  of  Hom- 
burg,  the  Emperor  offered  this  toast: 

My  Dear  Wittich: 

I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  express  to  you  before 
our  royal  and  princely  guests  and  to  the  whole 

109 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

army  corps  my  heartiest  congratulations  on  this 
day.  I  am  pleased  to  be  able  to  say  that  the 
present  day  in  its  achievements  does  not  suffer  in 
the  least  by  comparison  with  the  day  when,  many 
years  ago,*  the  corps  defiled  before  my  late  grand- 
father, my  dear  father,  and  the  late  Grand  Duke. 
I  thank  his  Royal  Highness,  the  Grand  Duke,  for 
the  splendid  division  which  he  has  led,  and  I  am 
pleased  to  see  him  at  the  head  of  the  magnificent 
troops  which  have  done  such  great  things  under 
his  father. 

A  great  honor  has  been  conferred  upon  the 
corps  through  the  fact  that  riding  at  the  head  of 
one  of  his  regiments  [13th  Hessian  Hussar  Regi- 
ment] his  Majesty,  King  Humbert  of  Italy,  has 
led  it  before  us. 

Your  Majesty  !  My  army  thanks  your  Majesty 
whole-heartedly  for  the  great  honor  which  has 
been  conferred  upon  it.  Not  only  my  army  but 
also  the  whole  German  Fatherland  greets  in  the 
person  of  your  Majesty  the  lofty  prince,  the  close 
friend  of  my  departed  father,  the  faithful  ally, 
whose  coming  here  shows  again  to  us  and  to  the 
world  that  the  bond  of  the  triple  alliance  stands 
firm  and  inviolate,  the  triple  alliance  which  was 
founded  in  the  interest  of  peace  and  which,  as 
time  goes  on,  strikes  deeper  and  firmer  root  in  the 

♦September  25,  1883. 
1 10 


1897]  DEDICATION  OF  FLAGS 

consciousness  of  the  peoples,  in  order  finally  to 
bring  forth  greater  fruit. 

In  deepest  gratitude  I  bid  the  great  Queen  wel- 
come in  the  name  of  my  people.  We  rejoice  that 
she  has  not  disdained  to  come  here,  leaving  behind 
her  her  repose  and  her  activities  dedicated  to  art 
and  literature,  and  that  she  should  have  graced 
with  her  fair  presence  this  camp  of  our  soldiers. 
Her  Majesty  is  particularly  dear  and  precious  to 
us  Germans,  because  she  is  like  the  image  of  the 
great  constellation  to  which  her  people  and  Fa- 
therland look  up  with  confidence;  because  the  art- 
ist, the  wise  man,  the  musician,  and  the  student 
always  have  free  access  to  her,  and  because  under 
the  protection  of  her  Majesty  so  many  a  German 
can  fulfil  his  life  devoted  to  learning  and  so  many 
an  invalid  can  go  in  search  of  his  health  to  the 
beautiful  sunny  south. 

With  a  whole  heart  I  bid  you  both  welcome, 
and  call  out  with  my  Eleventh  Corps:  Their 
Majesties,  the  King  and  Queen  of  Italy! — Hurrah  ! 
Hurrah  !     Hurrah  ! 


ADDRESS  AT  A  DEDICATION  OF  FLAGS 

Berlin,  October  i8,  1897 

On  this  occasion  sixty-three  new  flags  were  dedi- 
cated to  the  newly  formed  regiments  of  the  guard, 

III 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Oct. 

of  the  First  to  the  Eleventh  and  of  the  Fifteenth 
to  the  Seventeenth  Army  Corps.  The  Emperor 
and  people  celebrate  this  anniversary  of  the  battle 
of  Leipzig,  1813,  with  particularly  patriotic  demon- 
strations, and  he  almost  invariably  makes  it  the 
occasion  for  a  military  address.  After  the  religious 
ceremony  the  Emperor  addressed  the  following 
words  to  his  troops: 

The  flags  which  have  just  now  been  consecrated 
before  the  altar  of  God  and  which  have  received 
His  blessing  I  now  turn  over  to  the  new  regiments 
which  spring  from  their  old  and  proved  predeces- 
sors in  accordance  with  the  custom  of  our  army, 
which  forever  renews  itself  and  its  youth  out  of 
the  ranks  of  its  older  and  proved  regiments.  I 
do  this  in  a  hallowed  place,  before  the  statue  of 
the  great  King  and  before  the  windows  of  the 
great  Emperor.  If  the  site  is  holy,  so  too  is  the 
day.  It  is  the  anniversary  of  the  great  victory 
after  which  the  German  people  for  the  first  time 
dared  look  forward  in  prospect  to  the  dawn  of 
coming  union  and  the  future  greatness  which  was 
conditioned  thereby.  The  day  on  which,  for 
everlasting  memory,  the  October  fires  leap  from 
Germany's  hills  is  the  birthday  of  the  heroic  first 
German  Crown  Prince  and  of  the  second  German 
Emperor.* 

*  Frederick  III. 
112 


i897]   ADMINISTERING  OATH  TO  RECRUITS 

Out  of  the  old  and  proved  regiments  which  he 
led  to  battle  and  victory  the  shoots  have  been 
taken  for  these  new  ones  to  which  I  now  turn  over 
their  field  insignia.  May  Almighty  God,  who  has 
ever  been  so  faithful  and  well  intentioned  to  our 
Prussia  and  to  the  whole  German  Fatherland, 
help  always  to  maintain  the  vows  of  the  thou- 
sands of  German  youths  who  shall  stream  from  the 
circles  of  the  people  to  these  new  flags  and  who 
before  them  shall  swear  their  oath  of  allegiance ! 

I  hope  that  in  these  regiments  the  qualities  of 
the  great  Emperor  will  live  on — the  absolutely  un- 
selfish devotion  to  the  whole,  the  unreserved  sacri- 
fice of  one's  own  capacity,  bodily  as  well  as  spiri- 
tual, for  the  honor  of  the  army  and  for  the  safety 
of  the  beloved  Fatherland.  Then,  I  am  convinced, 
will  the  foundations  remain  firm  and  intact  in 
these  new  regiments,  the  foundations  upon  which 
the  discipline  of  our  army  rests — bravery,  sense  of 
honor,  and  absolute  and  unconditional  obedience. 

This  is  my  wish  for  the  new  regiments. 


ON  ADMINISTERING  THE  OATH  TO  THE 
RECRUITS 

Berlin,  November  i8,  1897 

After  the  administering  of  the  oath  to  the  re- 
cruits of  the  garrisons  of  Berlin,  Charlottenburg, 

113 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

and  Spandau  by  the  representatives  of  the  Evan- 
gelical and  the  Catholic  churches,  the  Emperor 
took  the  occasion  to  deliver  the  following  admo- 
nition : 

To-day  I  greet  you  as  soldiers  of  my  army,  as 
grenadiers  of  my  guard.  With  the  oath  to  the 
flag  you  have  sworn  allegiance  as  German  men, 
and  even  before  the  altar  of  God,  under  the  open 
skies,  and  upon  His  crucifix,  as  good  Christians 
must.  He  who  is  not  a  good  Christian  is  not  a 
brave  man  and  no  Prussian  soldier;  and  he  cannot 
fulfil  under  any  circumstances  what  is  demanded 
of  a  soldier  in  the  Prussian  army. 

Your  duty  is  not  easy;  it  demands  of  you  self- 
control  and  self-abnegation,  the  two  highest  quali- 
ties of  a  Christian,  and  in  addition  unconditional 
obedience  and  subordination  to  the  will  of  those 
who  are  appointed  above  you. 

But  you  have  examples  before  you  out  of  the 
history  of  the  German  army.  Thousands  before 
your  time  have  sworn  their  oath  and  kept  it. 
And  because  they  did  keep  it  our  Fatherland  has 
become  great  and  our  army  victorious  and  uncon- 
querable. Because  they  kept  their  oath,  their 
flags  stand  before  you,  garlanded  with  honor  and 
covered  with  the  tokens  of  glory,  and  wherever 
they  are  shown,  heads  are  uncovered  and  regi- 
ments present  arms. 

114 


1897]   ADMINISTERING  OATH  TO  RECRUITS 

In  the  time  of  your  service  temptation  will 
surely  draw  near  to  many  of  you.  If  it  does  ap- 
proach, either  with  regard  to  your  personal  con- 
duct or  with  regard  to  your  relationship  as  a 
soldier,  turn  it  from  you  with  the  thought  of  the 
past  of  your  regiments;  turn  it  from  you  with  the 
thought  of  your  uniform,  which  is  the  uniform  of 
your  King.  Whoever  offends  against  the  uniform 
of  the  King  lays  himself  open  to  the  most  grievous 
punishments.  Wear  your  uniform  in  such  wise 
that  you  will  compel  respect  from  the  world  and 
from  those  who  oppose  you. 

My  glorious  ancestors  look  down  upon  you  from 
the  vaulted  heavens.  The  monuments  of  the  Kings 
look  down  upon  you  and,  above  all,  the  statue  of 
the  great  Emperor.  When  you  are  discharging 
your  service  remember  the  grievous  times  through 
which  our  Fatherland  had  to  pass;  remember 
them  when  your  labor  seems  heavy  and  bitter. 
Stand  firm  in  your  inviolable  faith  and  trust  in 
God  who  never  forsakes  us.  Then  will  my  army 
and  especially  my  guard  be  equal  to  its  task  in  all 
times,  whether  in  peace  or  war. 

It  is  now  your  task  to  stand  faithfully  by  me 
and  to  defend  our  highest  possessions,  whether 
against  enemies  from  without  or  from  within,  and 
to  obey  when  I  command  and  never  to  forsake 
me. 

115 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

THE  CHINESE  SITUATION  AND  THE 
MAILED   FIST 

December  15,  1897 

In  accordance  with  her  general  colonial  policy, 
Germany  had  for  some  time  been  attempting  to 
obtain  a  footing  in  China.  Already  in  1895  ^^^ 
German  consul-general  had  arranged  an  agree- 
ment with  the  Chinese  authorities  which  was  to 
allow  the  establishing  of  a  base  at  Hangchow. 
German  explorers  had  examined  the  coast  and  had 
noticed  the  favorable  situation  of  the  harbor  of 
Kiaochow.  In  November,  1897,  two  German 
Catholic  missionaries  were  murdered.  Admiral 
Diedrichs,  who  is  remembered  in  America  for  his 
interference  with  Admiral  Dewey  at  Manila  Bay, 
resolved  upon  immediate  action,  steamed  into  the 
harbor  of  Kiaochov/  and  took  possession  of  the 
island  of  Tsingtao.  He  announced  the  occupation 
of  the  bay  and  of  all  the  islands  and  dependencies 
on  November  15.  An  indemnity  of  200,000  taels 
was  demanded,  as  well  as  the  repayment  of  the  ex- 
penses of  the  occupation,  a  ninety-nine  year  lease 
of  the  captive  territory,  and  the  cession  of  all 
mining  rights  and  railway  privileges.  All  this  was 
granted,  and  Germany  made  good  use  of  her  priv- 
ileges. At  the  outbreak  of  the  European  war 
the  country  had  been  developed  and  reclaimed 
to  such  a  degree  that  Tsingtao  with  its  buildings 
and  forts  looked  Hke  a  bit  of  Prussia  set  into  the 
Chinese  coast. 

116 


1897]  THE  CHINESE   SITUATION 

Through  her  occupation  of  this  rich  province 
and  through  the  fact  that  Germany  thus  estab- 
Hshed  a  naval  base  opposite  Japan's  coast,  she  in- 
curred the  ill  will  of  Japan.    This  ill  will  was  later 
to  be  increased  through  Germany's  conduct  with 
regard  to  commerce  regulations.     At  the  time  of 
the  occupation  Germany  declared  that  Tsingtao 
was  to  be   a  port  open  to   all  the  world.     Sub- 
sequent regulations  which  she  had  made  amounted 
to  very  serious  discrimination   against  the  com- 
merce  of  other    nations,    especially   that   of  the 
Japanese,  which  had  already  attained  considerable 
importance.    A  plan  was  evolved  in  1906  accord- 
ing to  which  Chinese  customs  duties  were  allowed 
to  be  collected  in  the  colony  in  return  for  an  annual 
consideration,  which  amounted  to  twenty  per  cent, 
of  the  entire  customs  duties  of  the  Tsingtao  dis- 
trict.    In  this  way,  what   she  allowed  China  to 
collect  from  German  merchants  she  forced  China 
to  pay  back  to  her.     Other  merchants  were,  of 
course,  likewise  forced  to  pay  the  duties,  and  Ger- 
many received   a  considerable  percentage  of  the 
toll.    The  discrimination,  if  not  obvious,  was  very 
real,  and  the  feeling  of  the  Japanese  distinctly 
hostile. 

Prince  Henry  was  sent  out  to  take  command  of 
the  increased  East  Asiatic  Squadron  on  December 
16,  1897,  and  took  command  in  the  following 
March.  On  the  eve  of  his  departure  a  great  fare- 
well dinner  was  given  him  in  the  Royal  Palace  at 
Kiel.     The  Emperor  spoke  as  follows: 


117 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

My  Dear  Henry: 

As  I  rode  into  Kiel  to-day  I  thought  of  the 
many  times  on  which  I  had  visited  this  city  joy- 
fully at  your  side  and  on  my  ships,  either  to  be 
present  at  the  sports  or  at  some  one  of  our  military 
undertakings.  On  my  arrival  in  the  city  to-day 
an  earnest  and  deep  feeling  moved  me,  for  I  am 
perfectly  conscious  of  the  task  which  I  have  set 
before  you  and  of  the  responsibility  which  I  bear. 
But  I  am  likewise  conscious  of  the  fact  that  it  is 
my  duty  to  build  up  and  carry  farther  what  my 
predecessors  have  bequeathed  to  me. 

The  journey  which  you  are  to  undertake  and 
the  task  which  you  are  to  accomplish  indicate 
nothing  new  in  themselves;  it  is  merely  the 
logical  consequence  of  what  my  departed  grand- 
father and  his  great  Chancellor  inaugurated  polit- 
ically and  what  our  glorious  father  won  with 
his  sword  on  the  field  of  battle.  It  is  nothing 
more  than  the  first  expression  of  the  newly  united 
and  newly  arisen  German  Empire  in  its  tasks  be- 
yond the  seas.  The  empire  has  developed  so 
astonishingly  through  the  extension  of  its  com- 
mercial interests  that  it  is  my  duty  to  follow  up 
the  new  German  Hansa  and  to  give  it  the  pro- 
tection which  it  has  a  right  to  expect  from  the 
empire  and  the  Emperor. 

Our  German  brothers  of  the  church  who  have 
ii8 


1897]  THE  CHINESE   SITUATION 

gone  out  to  their  quiet  work  and  have  not  spared 
risking  their  Hves  in  order  to  spread  and  make  a 
home  for  our  religion  on  foreign  soil  have  placed 
themselves  under  my  protection,  and  it  is  now  a 
question  of  providing  support  and  safety  for  these 
brothers  who  have  been  so  often  insulted  and  op- 
pressed. For  that  reason  the  undertaking  which 
I  intrust  to  you  and  which  you  must  fulfil  in 
company  with  your  comrades  and  the  ships  which 
are  already  out  there  is  really  one  of  protection 
and  not  one  of  defiance.  Under  the  protecting 
banner  of  our  German  flag  of  war  we  expect  that 
the  rights  which  we  are  justified  in  demanding 
will  be  guaranteed  to  our  commerce,  to  the  German 
merchant,  and  to  German  ships — the  same  right 
which  is  vouchsafed  by  strangers  to  all  other 
nations. 

Our  commerce  is  not  new;  in  old  times  the 
Hanseatic  League  was  one  of  the  most  powerful 
enterprises  which  the  world  has  ever  seen,  and 
the  German  cities  were  able  to  build  a  fleet  such  as 
the  sea's  broad  back  had  never  carried  in  earlier 
days,  but  finally  it  came  to  naught  because  the 
one  condition  was  lacking,  namely  that  of  an 
Emperor's  protection.  Now  things  have  changed; 
the  first  condition,  the  German  Empire,  has  been 
created;  the  second  condition,  German  commerce, 
flourishes  and  develops,  and  it  can  only  develop 

119 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

properly  and  securely  if  it  feels  itself  safe  under 
the  power  of  the  empire.  Imperial  power  means 
sea  power,  and  sea  power  and  imperial  power  are 
so  interdependent  that  the  one  cannot  exist  with- 
out the  other. 

As  a  token  of  this  imperial  sea  power  the  squad- 
ron which  has  been  strengthened  by  your  division 
must  now  take  its  place,  with  all  the  comrades  of 
the  foreign  fleet  out  there  in  close  relationship  and 
on  good  terms  of  friendship,  but  for  the  purpose 
of  protecting  our  particular  interests  against  every 
one  who  might  be  tempted  to  intrude  upon  the 
right  of  the  Germans.  That  is  your  task  and 
your  mission. 

Make  it  clear  to  every  European  there,  to  the 
German  merchant,  and,  above  all  things,  to  the 
foreigner  in  whose  country  we  are  or  with  whom 
we  have  to  deal,  that  the  German  Michel*  has 
set  his  shield,  decorated  with  the  imperial  eagle, 
firmly  upon  the  ground.  Whoever  asks  him  for 
protection  will  always  receive  it.  And  may  our 
countrymen  out  there  cherish  the  firm  conviction, 
whether  they  are  priests  or  merchants  or  whatever 
profession  they  follow,  that  the  protection  of  the 
German  Empire  as  exempHfied  in  the  Emperor's 

*The  German  Michel  is  the  proverbial  representative  of  the 
German  character,  as  Uncle  Sam  is  of  the  American  or  John  Bull  of 
the  English.     He  is  usually  pictured  as  a  simple,  good-natured  fellow. 

120 


1897]        ADDRESS  TO  THE   BODY-GUARD 

ships  will  continuously  be  granted  them!  But  if 
any  one  should  undertake  to  insult  us  in  our  rights 
or  to  wish  to  harm  us,  then  drive  in  with  the  mailed 
fist  and,  as  God  wills,  bind  about  your  young  brow 
the  laurels  which  no  one  in  the  entire  German 
Empire  will  begrudge  you  ! 

In  the  firm  conviction  that  you,  following  good 
examples — and,  God  be  praised,  examples  are  not 
wanting  in  our  house — will  carry  out  my  thoughts 
and  wishes,  I  raise  my  glass  and  drink  it  to  your 
health,  with  the  wish  for  a  good  voyage,  for  a 
happy  issue  to  your  task,  and  for  a  joyous  return. 
Long  live  his  Royal  Highness,  Prince  Henry ! 
Hurrah!    Hurrah!    Hurrah! 


ADDRESS  TO  THE  REGIMENTS  OF  THE 
BODY-GUARD 

Potsdam,  June  i6,  1898 

On  the  day  of  the  tenth  anniversary  of  his 
coming  to  the  throne  the  Emperor  assembled  the 
regiments  of  the  guard  in  the  gardens  of  Potsdam 
and  made  them  the  following  address: 

The  most  important  heritage  which  my  noble 
grandfather  and  father  left  me  is  the  army,  and 
I  received  it  with  pride  and  joy.  To  it  I  addressed 
my  first  decree  when  I  mounted  the  throne.  As 
I  enter  into  the  next  decade  of  my  reign  I  again 

121 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [June 

address  it  in  these  words:  You  who  are  now  as- 
sembled here  constitute  the  ist  Infantry  Regiment 
of  the  guard,  in  which  I  grew  up;  the  Regiment 
of  the  Gardes  du  Corps,  the  most  distinguished 
regiment  of  the  cavalry  body-guard  of  the  Prussian 
Kings;  the  Hussar  Regiment  of  the  Body-Guard, 
which  I  have  always  commanded;  and  the  Cadet 
Corps  of  the  Infantry  Battalion,  which  represents 
the  entire  army  and  which  in  Potsdam  enjoys  the 
honor  of  providing  the  guard  for  the  King  and  his 
house. 

Perhaps  never  did  an  army  suffer  such  severe 
loss  as  in  the  year  1888.  Never  has  an  army  lost 
in  the  course  of  a  single  year  two  such  powerful 
leaders  crowned  with  laurel  and  honor,  who  were 
at  the  same  time  its  war  lords.*  I  look  back 
gratefully  upon  the  years  which  have  passed 
since  that  time. 

Seldom  has  so  difficult  a  task  fallen  to  the  lot 
of  a  successor  who  in  a  brief  period  had  been 
forced  to  see  both  his  grandfather  and  his  father 
carried  away  by  death.  The  crown  was  weighed 
down  with  heavy  cares.  Every  one  lacked  con- 
fidence in  me;  everywhere  I  was  falsely  judged. 
One  alone  believed  in  me,  one  alone  had  faith — 

*  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Emperor  here  himself  ex- 
plicitly makes  the  distinction  between  commander  of  an  army, 
Heerfuhrer,  and  war  lord,  Kriegsherr,  a  title  which  can  only  be  be- 
stowed upon  the  Emperor. 

122 


I898J  DEATH  OF  PRINCE  BISMARCK 

that  was  the  army.  And  leaning  upon  her, 
trusting  upon  our  old  guard,  I  took  up  my  heavy 
charge,  knowing  well  that  the  army  was  the  main 
support  of  my  country,  the  main  support  of  the 
Prussian  throne,  to  which  the  decision  of  God 
had  called  me.  I  therefore  turn  to  you  first  to- 
day and  express  to  you  my  congratulations  and 
my  gratitude,  and  in  these  expressions  I  include 
likewise  with  you  all  your  brothers  in  the  army. 
I  am  of  the  firm  conviction  that,  through  the  self- 
sacrificing  devotion  of  the  officers  and  men  in 
their  faithful  work  of  peace,  the  army  during  the 
last  ten  years  has  been  maintained  in  the  same 
condition  in  which  I  received  it  from  my  departed 
predecessors. 

In  the  next  ten  years,  faithfully  bound  together, 
let  us  seek  further  the  unconditional  fulfilment  of 
our  duty  in  old  and  unremitting  labor,  and  may 
the  main  supports  of  our  army  remain  forever 
intact!  They  are  courage,  sense  of  honor,  and 
unconditional,  iron,  blind  obedience. 

That  is  my  wish  which  I  to-day  address  to  you 
and  with  you  to  the  entire  army. 

ON  THE  DEATH  OF  PRINCE  BISMARCK 

Friedrichsruh,  August  2,  1898 
After    the    founding    of   the    German    Empire 
Prince  Bismarck,  who  initiated  and  carried  through 

123 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

many  of  the  policies  which  brought  great  prosper- 
ity to  the  German  people,  was  looked  upon  with 
much  favor  and  enjoyed  great  popularity.  Em- 
peror William  II,  as  has  been  noted,  dismissed  him 
from  his  post  as  Imperial  Chancellor  in  the  second 
year  of  his  reign.  His  attitude  toward  Bismarck 
has  already  been  discussed  (March  26,  1895). 
In  most  of  his  speeches  which  recount  the  prog- 
ress of  the  empire  the  Emperor  is  strangely  silent 
about  this  great  figure  in  German  history.  When 
Bismarck  died,  however  (July  30,  1898),  the  Em- 
peror immediately  interrupted  his  journey  into 
the  north  and  returned  on  the  second  of  August  to 
pay  his  respects  at  the  bier  of  the  first  Imperial 
Chancellor  in  Friedrichsruh.  On  the  same  day  he 
issued  the  following  statement  which  appeared 
that  evening  in  the  special  edition  of  the  Reichsan- 
zeiger. 

It  is  noticeable  that  on  this  occasion  the  Em- 
peror speaks  of  his  grandfather  as  "WiUiam  the 
Great."  His  tendency  to  set  his  ancestors  upon 
lofty  pedestals  and  to  praise  them  somewhat 
extravagantly  finds  expression  in  many  of  the 
speeches.  He  was  very  desirous  of  having  his 
grandfather  called  by  this  title,  and  here  as  every- 
where took  the  initiative.  His  lead,  however, 
was  not  generally  followed.  When  the  city  of 
Hamburg  erected  a  monument  to  William  I  the 
pedestal  was  left  without  an  inscription.  This 
has  been  explained  by  the  fact  that  they  were  un- 
willing to  say,  "  WiUiam  the  Great,"  and  afraid 
to  say  merely,  "  WilHam  I." 

124 


1898]  DEATH  OF   PRINCE   BISMARCK 

With  my  lofty  peers  and  with  the  whole  Ger- 
man people  I  stand  in  mourning  at  the  bier  of 
the  first  Chancellor  of  the  German  Empire, 
Prince  Otto  von  Bismarck,  Duke  of  Lauenburg. 
We  who  were  witnesses  of  his  masterly  work,  who 
looked  upon  him  as  the  master  of  statecraft,  as 
the  fearless  champion  in  war  as  in  peace,  as  the 
most  devoted  son  of  his  Fatherland  and  most 
faithful  servant  of  his  Emperor,  are  deeply  shaken 
by  the  demise  of  the  man  in  whom  the  Lord  God 
created  the  implement  with  which  to  carry  into 
effect  the  deathless  idea  of  Germany's  union  and 
greatness. 

At  this  moment  it  is  not  fitting  to  recount  all 
the  deeds  which  the  great  departed  accomplished, 
all  the  cares  which  he  bore  for  the  Emperor  and 
the  empire,  all  the  successes  which  he  won.  They 
are  too  powerful  and  manifold,  and  only  history 
can  and  will  engrave  them  upon  her  brass  tab- 
lets. 

But  I  feel  constrained  to  make  some  expres- 
sion before  the  world  of  the  whole-hearted  grief 
and  grateful  reverence  which  to-day  fill  the  en- 
tire nation  and,  in  the  name  of  the  nation,  to  make 
a  vow  that  what  he,  the  great  Chancellor,  built 
up  under  Emperor  WiUiam  the  Great  I  shall 
maintain  and  develop  and,  if  need  be,  defend  with 
our  possessions  and  our  blood. 

125 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

In  this  may  the  Lord  God  help  us ! 

I  commission  you  to  bring  to  pubHc  attention 
this,  my  decree. 

William,  I.  R. 
To  the  Imperial  Chancellor. 


"OUR  FUTURE  LIES  UPON  THE  WATER" 

Stettin,  September  23,  1898 

A  previous  address  shows  that  in  the  mind  of 
the  Emperor  the  idea  of  world-empire  carried 
with  it  the  idea  of  naval  supremacy.  In  this 
period  he  was  increasingly  interested  in  the  in- 
dustrial and  especially  the  naval  and  maritime 
expansion  of  Germany.  A  number  of  his  speeches 
take  up  this  subject;  so,  for  instance,  he  was  pres- 
ent at  the  opening  of  the  new  harbor  at  Stettin 
and  delivered  this  address: 

With  full  heart  I  congratulate  you  on  your 
completed  work.  You  began  with  a  fresh  spirit 
of  daring.  You  were  able  to  begin  it,  thanks  to 
the  interest  of  my  departed  grandfather,  the  great 
Emperor,  who  built  the  iron  girdle  around  the 
city.  After  the  moment  when  this  iron  mantle 
fell  you  could  take  a  larger  and  wider  point  of 
view.  You  did  not  delay  but  carried  it  out 
with  real  Pomeranian  recklessness  and  obstinacy. 
You  have  succeeded,  and  I  am  pleased  that  the 

126 


"OUR   FUTURE   LIES   UPON  THE  WATER" 
The  Emperor  on  Shipboard  in  the  Autumn  of  1898 


1898]         JOURNEY  TO  THE  HOLY  LAND 

old  Pomeranian  spirit  has  again  come  to  life  in 
you  and  has  driven  you  from  the  land  upon  the 
water. 

Our  future  lies  upon  the  water,  and  I  am  deeply 
convinced  that  this  work  which  you,  Herr  Burgo- 
master, have  carried  out  with  foresight  and  care 
and  energy  will  always  be  hnked  with  your  name, 
even  after  centuries,  by  the  grateful  citizens  of 
the  city  of  Stettin  and  that  your  work  will  always 
be  recognized. 

But  I,  as  lord  of  the  land  and  King,  express 
my  thanks  to  you  that  you  have  brought  the  city 
of  Stettin  to  such  a  flourishing  position.  I  hope 
and  expect,  yes,  I  might  say,  I  demand,  that  she 
shall  go  on  developing  at  this  same  rate,  not 
divided  by  party  strife  and  with  her  glance  fixed 
upon  the  great  whole,  in  order  that  she  may  come 
to  a  state  of  development  such  as  has  never  yet 
been  achieved.     That  is  my  wish  ! 

THE  JOURNEY  TO  THE  HOLY  LAND 

Bethlehem,  October  30,  1898 

On  the  1 2th  of  October,  1898,  the  Emperor  and 
Empress  set  out  on  their  journey  to  the  Holy 
Land,  accompanied  by  many  representatives  of 
the  church.  In  Venice  they  visited  the  Italian 
King  and  Queen  and  passed  on  by  way  of  Mes- 
sina and  Constantinople.     They  reached  Jerusalem 

127 


> 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Oct. 

on  October  29.  During  his  stay  at  Constantinople 
the  Emperor  obtained  the  rights  to  a  piece  of 
land,  the  Dormitio  Sanctcs  Virginis,  and  turned  it 
over  to  the  German  Catholics  in  Jerusalem.  On 
November  4  they  began  their  return  journey  via 
Damascus.  Though  the  dedication  of  the  Church 
of  Our  Redeemer  constituted  the  ostensible  object 
of  the  visit,  the  Emperor  had  also  other  purposes 
in  mind.  He  took  the  occasion  to  announce  that 
be  would  protect  the  interests  of  all  Germans  of 
whatever  faith.  This  is  the  more  significant  when 
we  remember  that  up  to  this  time  the  French  had 
always  been  allowed  to  assume  the  duty  of  pro- 
tecting the  Catholics  there.  The  Emperor  like- 
wise had  in  mind  increasing  his  prestige  in  the 
East.  One  of  the  outward  indications  of  the 
growing  friendliness  between  Turkey  and  Germany 
which  was  then  strengthened  may  be  found  in 
the  fact  that  the  building  of  the  Anatolian  rail- 
way was  intrusted  to  a  German  company,  to 
which  was  also  granted  a  concession  for  a  harbor 
and  permission  to  extend  the  line  through  Bagdad 
to  Bassora. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  approach  to  Jerusalem 
aroused  a  very  unfavorable  impression  in  the  Em- 
peror. Nevertheless,  he  had  somewhat  unusual 
preparations  made  for  his  entrance.  The  old  walls 
of  the  sacred  city  were  breached  in  order  to  allow 
him  to  make  his  entry  in  imperial  state.  In 
pursuance  of  his  policy  as  a  world-emperor  he 
attempted  during  his  visit,  as  we  have  seen,  both 
by  his  acts  and  by  his  speeches,  to  conciliate  all 
sects  and  creeds;  the  Catholics  through  the  grant 

128 


1898]         JOURNEY  TO  THE  HOLY  LAND 

of  land,  which  Hkewise  pleased  the  Centre  or 
Catholic  party  at  home;  the  Evangelicals  through 
the  dedication  of  a  church;  and  the  Moslems 
incidentally  and  through  his  speech  nine  days 
later  at  Damascus,  in  the  course  of  which  he  said: 
"May  the  Sultan  and  may  the  three  hundred  mil- 
lion Mohammedans  who  are  scattered  over  the 
face  of  the  earth  and  who  recognize  him  as  their  , 

caHph  be  assured  of  the  fact  that  at  all  times  the  / 

German    Emperor   will    be   their   friend!"     This  ' 

friendship  of  the  Emperor  for  the  Sultan  was  not 
to  be  clouded  by  the  Armenian  massacres,  nor 
did  the  assassinations  in  Asia  Minor  evoke  any 
protest.  Indeed,  we  are  told  by  a  well-known 
foreign  correspondent  that  "five  days  after  the 
great  massacre  of  August,  1896,  in  Constantinople, 
when  Turkish  soldiers  shot  down  their  fellow 
citizens  under  the  eyes  of  the  Sultan  and  of  the 
foreign  ambassadors,  WiUiam  II  sent  to  Abdul- 
Hamid  for  his  birthday  a  family  photograph  of 
himself  with  the  Empress  and  his  children."  At 
Damascus,  he  Hkewise  laid  a  wreath  upon  the 
tomb  of  Saladin. 

After  the  service  in  the  Evangelical  Church  at 
Bethlehem  the  Emperor  gathered  about  him  the 
Evangehcal  ministers  and  made  them  this  address, 
which  was  reported  by  E.  Bosse,  who  at  that  time 
was  the  Prussian  Kultus minister. 

If  I  am  to  give  you  the  impressions  of  these  last 
days,  then  I  must  tell  you  that,  above  all,  I  am 
very  much  disappointed.     I  did  not  wish  to  say 

129 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

that  here,  but  after  I  had  heard  that  the  same  thing 
had  happened  to  others  also,  and  among  them  to 
my  court  chaplain,  for  instance,  I  no  longer  wish 
to  hide  this  from  you.  It  may,  indeed,  be  that 
the  very  unfavorable  approach  to  the  city  of 
Jerusalem  has  contributed  to  this  impression, 
but  when  one  sees  such  conditions  in  the  holy 
places  and  sees  how  things  happen  there  it  cuts 
one  to  the  quick. 

That  the  emanation  of  the  love  of  the  Creator 
took  place  here  where  we  are  now  standing  is  a 
fact  of  extraordinary  import,  and  yet  how  little 
does  it  correspond  to  what  we  have  seen !  I  am, 
therefore,  doubly  pleased  to  have  received  my 
first  elevating  impression  in  the  Holy  Land  at 
this  service  among  you.  The  particular  example 
of  Jerusalem  warns  us  insistently  that  we  must 
suppress  as  far  as  possible  the  slight  deviations  in 
our  sects,  and  that  the  Evangelical  Church  and 
the  Evangelical  creed  must  put  forward  a  firmly 
united  front  here  in  the  East.  Otherwise  we 
can  accomplish  nothing.  We  can  only  work 
through  example,  through  the  practice  and  proof 
that  the  gospel  is  a  gospel  of  love  in  all  quar- 
ters of  the  heavens  and  that  it  bears  other 
fruits. 

Only  the  life  of  Christians  can  make  any  im- 
pression upon  the  Mohammedans.     No  one  can 

130 


1898]         JOURNEY  TO  THE  HOLY  LAND 

criticise  them  if  they  have  little  respect  for  the 
Christian  name.  Our  churches  divide  against 
each  other.  Indeed,  they  must  be  restrained  from 
quarrelling  through  the  external  power  of  arms. 
In  the  political  world,  under  all  possible  pretexts 
we  take  away  from  them  [the  Mohammedans] 
one  piece  of  territory  after  another,  for  which  we 
have  no  justification,  so  that  our  influence  has 
been  much  weakened  and  we  have  fallen  to  a  very 
low  level. 

And  now  it  is  our  turn !  The  German  Empire 
and  the  German  name  have  now  won  a  considera- 
tion in  the  entire  Ottoman  Empire  such  as  has 
never  existed  before.  It  is,  therefore,  for  us  to 
show  what  the  Christian  religion  really  is,  that 
the  practice  of  Christian  love  even  toward  the 
Mohammedan,  not  through  dogmas  and  attempts 
at  conversion  but  merely  through  example,  is 
our  plain  duty.  The  Mohammedan  is  a  very 
zealous  believer,  so  that  preaching  alone  will  not 
suffice.  But  our  culture,  our  institutions,  the  life 
which  we  live  before  them,  the  manner  of  our  con- 
duct toward  them,  and  the  proof  that  we  are 
united  among  ourselves,  these  alone  will  have 
effect. 

It  is  a  kind  of  examination  which  we  must  pass 
for  our  Protestant  faith  and  our  creed.  Through 
this  we  must  give  them  proof  of  what  Christianity 

131 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

is.  In  this  way  we  may  inspire  in  them  an  inter- 
est for  our  reHgion  and  for  the  Christian  creed. 
See  to  it  that  this  remains  so ! 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  OUR 
REDEEMER 

Jerusalem,  October  31,  1898 

The  Church  of  Our  Redeemer  at  Jerusalem  was 
dedicated  in  the  presence  of  the  Emperor  by  the 
general  superintendent  and  head  court  chaplain, 
Doctor  Dryander,  of  Berlin.  The  church  had 
been  planned  by  King  Frederick  William  IV. 
After  the  dedication  there  was  a  special  church 
service,  and  after  the  prayer  by  the  general  super- 
intendent the  Emperor  offered  the  following  ad- 
dress: 

God  has  been  gracious  enough  to  allow  us  to 
dedicate  in  this  city,  which  is  holy  to  all  Chris- 
tians, and  in  this  place,  which  is  consecrated  by 
labors  of  true  love,  a  house  of  worship  which  we 
have  built  to  honor  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
Through  the  building  and  dedication  of  the  Church 
of  Our  Redeemer  there  has  now  come  to  success- 
ful issue  a  plan  which  my  blessed  predecessors 
cherished  for  more  than  half  a  century  and  sought 
to  carry  out  as  the  protectors  of  the  work  of  love 
which  was  founded  here  in  EvangeHcal  interests. 

132 


i898]  DEDICATION  OF  A  CHURCH 

Through  the  saving  power  of  the  love  which 
serves,  all  hearts  should  now  here  be  brought  to 
the  consideration  of  those  things  in  which  alone 
the  troubled  human  spirit  may  find  salvation, 
rest,  and  peace  here  and  hereafter. 

All  Evangelical  Christians,  even  far  beyond 
Germany's  borders,  are  following  our  service  here 
with  closest  interest  and  sympathy.  The  dele- 
gates of  the  Evangelical  congregation  and  many 
who  share  the  Evangelical  faith  from  all  parts  of 
the  world  have  come  with  us  to  this  place  in  order 
to  be  personal  witnesses  to  the  completion  of  this 
work  of  faith  and  love  through  which  the  name  of 
our  great  Lord  and  Saviour  is  to  be  glorified  and 
the  kingdom  of  God  upon  earth  to  be  advanced. 

Jerusalem,  the  lofty  city  on  which  our  feet  are 
standing,  calls  to  mind  memories  of  the  great  act 
of  redemption  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  She  shows 
us  the  common  labor  which  unites  all  Christians, 
regardless  of  confessions  and  nations,  in  the  apos- 
tolic faith. 

The  power  which  renewed  the  world  through 
the  gospel  which  originated  here  drives  us  to  fol- 
low Him;  it  warns  us  to  look  up  in  faith  to  Him 
who  died  for  us  upon  the  cross.  It  warns  us  to  be 
patient  Christians  and  to  carry  out  the  doctrine  of 
unselfish  love  of  our  neighbor  in  regard  to  all  men. 
It  promises  us  also  that  if  we  hold  firm  to  the  true 

133 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Oct. 

teaching  of  the  gospel  even  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
not  prevail  against  our  dear  Evangelical  Church. 

It  was  in  Jerusalem  that  was  born  the  Light  of 
the  World,  in  whose  splendor  our  German  people 
has  grown  great  and  powerful.  What  the  Ger- 
manic peoples  have  become  they  have  become 
under  the  protection  of  the  cross  upon  Golgotha 
and  through  the  practice  of  self-sacrificing  love 
of  their  neighbors.  Just  as  two  thousand  years 
ago,  so  to-day  that  call,  "Peace  upon  earth," 
which  voices  the  earnest  hopes  of  us  all,  should 
go  forth  to  all  the  world. 

Not  splendor,  not  might,  not  glory,  not  honor, 
not  earthly  goods  it  is  that  we  seek  here.  We 
pant,  beseech,  and  strive  only  for  the  one  highest 
good,  the  salvation  of  our  souls,  and  as  I  now  on 
this  solemn  day  here  repeat  the  vow  of  my  an- 
cestors who  are  resting  in  God,  "I  and  my  house, 
we  will  serve  the  Lord,"  so  I  ask  you  all  to  make 
the  same  vow.  Let  every  one  seek  according  to 
his  position  and  his  calling  to  bring  it  about  that 
all  those  who  bear  the  name  of  the  crucified  Lord 
will  live  their  lives  under  the  sign  of  His  holy 
name  to  a  victory  over  all  the  dark  powers  which 
are  begotten  in  sin  and  selfishness. 

May  God  grant  that  rich  streams  of  blessing 
may  flow  back  from  here  into  united  Christendom, 
and  that  on  the  throne  as  in  the  hut,  that  at  home 

134 


1898]  BY  DIVINE   RIGHT 

as  abroad,  trust  in  God,  love  of  our  fellows,  pa- 
tience in  affliction,  and  thorough  labor  may  re- 
main the  brightest  jewels  of  the  German  people, 
and  that  the  spirit  of  peace  may  permeate  and 
hallow  the  Evangelical  Church  more  and  more. 

He,  the  God  of  grace,  will  hear  our  prayers; 
that  is  our  expectation.  He  alone  is  the  strong  and 
safe  retreat  upon  which  we  build. 

"  Did  we  in  our  own  strength  confide. 
Our  striving  would  be  losing; 

Were  not  the  right  man  on  our  side, 
The  man  of  God's  own  choosing. 

Dost  ask  who  that  may  be  ? 

Christ  Jesus,  it  is  He; 

Lord  Sabaoth  His  name, 

From  age  to  age  the  same. 
And  He  must  win  the  battle."  * 


BY  DIVINE  RIGHT 

Brandenburg,  February  3,  1899 

There  is  a  particular  whole-heartedness  notice- 
able in  all  of  the  Emperor's  speeches  to  his  heredi- 
tary subjects,  the  Brandenburgers.  He  seemed 
to  take  them  most  fully  into  his  confidence  and 
expect  from  them  a  higher  degree  of  loyalty  and 
understanding.  For  them  he  felt  a  particular 
kinship.     His  personal  pretensions  are,  therefore, 

*  Luther's  "Ein'  Feste  Burg,"  translated  by  F.  H.  Hedge. 
135 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

set  forth  in  these  speeches  and  in  those  to  the 
Prussians,  as  for  instance  in  his  Konigsberg  speech 
(August  25,  1910)  with  less  reserve  than  usual, 
if  we  may  speak  of  reserve  in  one  who  shows  but 
little  and  who  is  unusually  frank  and  personal 
in  his  statements.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  these 
speeches  have  occasionally  been  severely  criticised 
by  his  South  German  subjects,  as  for  instance  by 
Doctor  Liman  in  his  "Der  Kaiser."  This  address 
was  delivered  by  the  Emperor  at  a  banquet  which 
was  given  by  Doctor  von  Achenbach,  Oberprdsi- 
dent  of  Brandenburg  Province  and  Minister  of 
State,  to  the  members  of  the  Provincial  Assembly. 
The  wording  is  taken  from  the  '*  Reichsanzeiger.^* 
The  historical  facts  here  referred  to  will  be  found 
in  chapter  I. 

My  Honored  President  and  Dear  Men  of 
Brandenburg: 
The  speech  which  we  have  just  heard  has  laid 
before  us  in  small  compass  and  in  patriotic  spirit, 
embellished  with  poetic  flights,  the  deeds  of  my 
house  and  the  history  of  our  people.  I  think 
that  I  speak  from  the  heart  of  all  of  you  when  I 
say  that  there  were  two  circumstances  which  made 
it  possible  for  my  ancestors  and  my  house  to  dis- 
charge their  tasks  in  this  way.  The  first  and 
prime  circumstance  was  the  fact  that,  above  all 
other  princes,  and  even  in  a  time  when  perhaps 
such  thoughts  and  feelings  were  not  yet  current, 

136 


i899l  BY  DIVINE  RIGHT 

they  felt  and  discharged  the  personal  responsibility 
of  the  ruler  toward  Heaven.  The  second  circum- 
stance is  the  fact  that  they  had  behind  them  the 
people  of  the  mark.  Let  us  look  back  to  the  time 
when  Frederick  I  had  been  named  Elector  and 
when  he  exchanged  his  magnificent  Prankish 
home  country  for  the  mark,  which  at  that  time 
was  in  a  condition  which  we  can  hardly  picture  to 
ourselves  even  from  the  description  of  historians. 
We  can  only  understand  this  exchange  on  the 
assumption  that  the  ruler  felt  within  himself  the 
call  to  journey  to  this  land,  which  had  been  in- 
trusted to  him  by  the  imperial  protection  in  order 
here  to  bring  about  a  better-ordered  condition, 
not  only  for  the  Emperor's  sake  or  for  his  own 
sake,  but  he  was  convinced  that  the  task  had  been 
given  him  from  above. 

The  same  conviction  we  shall  find  in  all  of  my 
ancestors.  Their  great  battles  without  and  the 
development  and  the  making  of  laws  within 
the  country  have  always  been  dictated  by  the 
thought  that  they  were  responsible  for  the  people 
given  over  to  them  and  for  the  country  which  had 
been  intrusted  to  them. 

Your  President  has  been  kind  enough  to  men- 
tion our  journey  to  Palestine  and  the  acts  which  I 
accompKshed  there.  I  dare  say  that  many  dif- 
ferent impressions  of  a  lofty  nature  forced  them- 

137 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

selves  upon  me,  and  they  were  partly  religious, 
partly  historical,  and  partly  drawn  from  modern 
life,  but  aside  from  the  celebration  in  our  church 
(October  31,  1898),  the  loftiest  and  the  deepest 
was  the  consciousness  that  I  was  standing  on  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  that  I  was  treading  upon  the 
very  place  where  the  greatest  battle  which  was 
ever  fought  out  upon  the  earth,  the  battle  for  the 
salvation  of  mankind,  had  been  fought  out  by  our 
Saviour.  This  fact  moved  me,  as  it  were,  on  that 
same  day  to  renew  my  oath  to  the  flag  above 
that  I  would  leave  nothing  untried  in  order  to 
unite  my  people  and  to  push  aside  whatever  might 
be  able  to  divide  it. 

But  as  I  was  tarrying  in  the  far  country,  and  in 
different  places  where  we  Germans  feel  so  keenly 
the  lack  of  dear  woods  and  beautiful  waters,  I 
remembered  the  lakes  of  the  mark  with  their  dark, 
clear  waves,  and  the  woods  of  oak  and  of  fir,  and  I 
thought  to  myself  that,  although  in  Europe  they 
sometimes  looked  down  upon  us,  we  are  none  the 
less  much  better  off  in  Brandenburg  than  in  for- 
eign countries.  And  when  I  think  of  the  tree  and 
of  the  use  we  make  of  it  and  our  love  for  the 
woods  I  am  reminded  of  an  incident  that  is  very 
interesting  for  us  as  we  begin  to  develop  the 
empire. 

It  was  after  the  great  and  noble  achievements 
138 


1899]  BY  DIVINE  RIGHT 

of  the  year  1 870-1.  The  troops  had  returned 
home;  the  tumult  and  the  enthusiasm  had  sub- 
sided, and  the  old  work  of  founding  and  developing 
our  newly  conquered  Fatherland  was  now  to  begin. 
There,  for  the  first  time,  the  three  paladins  of  the 
great  old  Emperor,  the  great  General,*  the  power- 
ful Chancellor,!  and  the  faithful  Minister  of  War, { 
were  sitting  together  at  their  common  meal. 
After  they  had  emptied  the  first  glass  to  the  Lord 
of  the  Land  and  to  the  Fatherland,  the  Chancellor 
spoke  and  turning  to  his  two  colleagues  said: 
"We  have  now  achieved  everything  for  which  we 
have  striven,  suffered,  and  fought.  We  have 
reached  the  highest  point  of  which  we  had  ever 
dreamed.  What  can  there  now  be,  after  what  we 
have  lived  through,  which  shall  interest  or  elevate 
or  inspire  us  ?"  There  was  a  pause  and  then  the 
old  master  of  battles  said  suddenly,  "We  can 
watch  the  tree  grow,"  and  a  deep  silence  fell  upon 
the  room. 

Yes,  gentlemen !  The  tree  which  we  watch 
growing  and  for  which  we  must  care  is  the  German 
imperial  oak.  A  healthy  growth  is  in  store  for  it 
because  it  stands  under  the  protection  of  the 
people  of  the  mark  in  whose  land  it  is  rooted. 
It  has  lived  through  many  a  storm  and  has  often 
been  threatened,  but  the  stalk  and  the  shoot  which 

*  Moltke.  t  Bismarck.  J  Roon. 

139 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

are  sunk  in  the  sands  of  the  mark  will,  God  willing, 
endure  to  all  eternity ! 

I  can  merely  vow  once  again  to-day  to  do  every- 
thing for  it  that  is  in  my  power !  And  even  the 
journey  to  hallowed  shrines  and  places  will  help  me 
in  this,  and  I  shall  be  better  able,  therefore,  to  pro- 
tect this  tree  and  to  watch  and  foster  it,  cutting 
back  like  a  good  gardener  the  branches  which  are 
superfluous,  and  keeping  watch  upon  and  exter- 
minating the  animals  which  would  gnaw  at  its 
roots.  I  hope  that  I  may  then  see  this  picture. 
The  tree  will  have  developed  gloriously  and  before 
it  the  German  Michel  will  be  standing,  his  hand 
upon  his  sword,  and  looking  out  into  the  distance 
in  order  to  protect  it.  That  peace  stands  firm 
which  stands  under  the  shield  and  under  the  sword 
of  the  German  Michel. 

It  is  a  magnificent  thing  to  begin  with  the  idea 
of  bringing  peace  to  all  the  nations;  but  an  error 
is  likely  to  slip  into  our  calculations.  So  long  as 
there  is  unregenerate  sin  in  humanity,  so  long 
there  will  be  war  and  hatred,  envy  and  discord, 
and  one  man  will  try  to  take  advantage  of  another. 
But  the  rules  which  govern  men  govern  nations 
also.  Therefore  we  must  see  to  it  that  we  Ger- 
mans, at  least,  stand  together  like  a  firm  block. 
Far  beyond  the  seas*  and  here  in  Europe,  may 

*  The  Spanish-American  War  was  ended  by  treaty  December 
10,  1898. 

140 


i899]  THE  HAGUE  CONFERENCE 

every  wave  that  threatens  peace  break  upon  this 
'^rocher  de  bronze''  of  the  German  people  !  But  it  is 
the  mark  and  its  inhabitants  first  of  all  which  are 
called  upon  to  help  me  in  this,  and  as  I  assume 
that  it  is  not  hard  for  you  to  follow  the  black  and 
white  banner  and  your  red  one,*  so  I  hope  that  I 
shall  be  understood  by  you  when  I  say  that  I  in- 
tend to  look  for  aid  to  the  mark  now  and  here- 
after, and  that  I  count  upon  its  loyal  support ! 
Therefore  I  raise  my  glass  and  call  out:  Long 
live  Brandenburg  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
mark.    Hurrah !     Hurrah !    Hurrah ! 


THE  HAGUE  CONFERENCE 

Wiesbaden,  May  i8,  1899 

On  the  Czar's  birthday  the  Emperor  was  present 
at  the  banquet  given  in  Wiesbaden,  to  which  the 
Russian  Ambassador,  Count  Osten-Sacken,  had 
been  invited.  The  Emperor  proposed  the  follow- 
ing toast.  On  the  same  day  the  peace  conference 
at  The  Hague  had  been  opened  and  the  Russian 
delegate  De  Staal  had  been  elected  its  president. 
At  the  end  of  August,  1898,  the  Russian  Minister 
for  Foreign  Affairs  had  issued  the  following  com- 
munication to  all  the  representatives  of  the  powers 
in  St.  Petersburg.  "The  maintenance  of  universal 
peace  and  a  possible  reduction  of  the  armaments 

*  The  flag  of  Brandenburg  is  a  red  griffin  on  a  white  field. 
141 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

which  burden  all  nations  in  the  present  state  of 
civilization  is  an  ideal  for  all  the  world  toward 
which  all  governments  must  be  directed."  The 
Czar  believed  that  a  conference  might  achieve 
this  object,  and  he  suggested  that  they  might 
regulate  the  reduction  of  armaments  all  around 
and  eliminate  many  of  the  horrors  of  war  through 
the  estabUshment  of  certain  humane  principles. 
The  programme  was  presented  by  Russia  on  Janu- 
ary II,  1899,  and  the  conference  was  called  on  her 
invitation  for  May  18  of  that  year. 

Every  year  I  offer  my  toast  to  the  health  of  his 
Majesty,  the  Emperor  of  Russia,  with  deep  feehng. 
To-day  I  add  to  it  my  heartiest  good  wishes  for 
the  success  of  the  conference  which  owes  its  incep- 
tion to  his  Majesty's  initiative. 

My  honored  Baron,  my  wish  includes  the  hope 
that  the  two  tried  and  experienced  statesmen, 
his  Excellency  Baron  de  Staal  and  Count  Miin- 
ster,  may  succeed  in  their  efforts  and  that  they 
may  conduct  the  conference  on  the  old,  established 
tradition  which  unites  my  house  to  that  of  his 
Majesty  and  the  German  people  to  the  Russian; 
and  by  doing  so,  in  accordance  with  the  exactly 
similar  orders  which  the  Emperor  and  I  have 
issued,  that  the  conference  may  result  to  the  en- 
tire satisfaction  of  his  Majesty. 

His  Majesty,  the  Emperor  Nicholas!  Hurrah  ! 
Hurrah !     Hurrah ! 

142 


1899]       FRENCH  HEROISM  AT  ST.   PRIVAT 
THE  HOUSING  OF  LABORERS 

Early  June,  1899 

Kadinen  is  one  of  the  Emperor's  many  farming 
estates  and  is  situated  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Elbing,  in  East  Prussia.  It  was  here  that  he  ex- 
pressed the  following  sentiment: 

Many  things  must  be  changed  at  Kadinen; 
especially  the  housing  of  the  laborers  must  be 
changed.  Here  in  the  east  this  seems  still  to  be 
a  particular  evil.  The  fine  cattle  stable  in  Kadinen 
is  a  veritable  palace  compared  to  the  homes  of 
the  laborers.  We  must  see  to  it  that  the  pigsties 
are  not  better  than  the  laborers'  houses. 


FRENCH    HEROISM   AT   ST.    PRIVAT 

The  Battle-Field  of  St.  Privat,  August  18,  1899 

The  following  noble  address  of  the  Emperor's 
was  delivered  at  the  dedication  of  the  monument 
to  the  soldiers  of  the  ist  Regiment  of  the  Guard, 
who  fell  in  the  battle  of  St.  Privat  (August  18, 
1870).  In  it  he  speaks  of  the  splendid  heroism  of 
the  French  troops  who  were  fighting  for  their 
Emperor.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the  mon- 
ument was  erected  in  the  provinces  which  had 
been  conquered  from  France  by  Germany.  At 
this  time  the  Emperor  had  adopted  a  conciliatory 
attitude  toward  the  inhabitants  of  these  provinces. 

143 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

(See  speech  of  March  14,  1891.)  If,  therefore,  it 
may  seem  ungracious,  it  is  nevertheless  merely 
just  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  when  he  later 
(March  28,  1901)  presented  a  painting  of  the 
battle  of  St.  Privat  to  the  Alexander  Regiment 
of  the  Guard  in  Berlin  he  did  not  mention  French 
heroism  and  speaks  a  different  language. 

Serious  and  solemn  memories  surround  this  day 
and  make  our  hearts  beat  high.  My  ist  Infantry 
Regiment  of  the  Guard  is  represented  here  by  my 
company  of  the  Body-Guard,  by  its  glorious  flags, 
and  by  many  old  comrades  who  once  fought  and 
bled  in  this  place.  They  are  to-day  to  unveil  this 
monument  to  their  fallen  comrades.  This  cere- 
mony will  take  place  in  the  presence  of  my  young- 
est regiment,*  and  the  troops  of  the  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps,  which  represent  the  entire  German 
army. 

It  has  been  almost  the  only  regiment  which  up 
to  the  present  has  not  been  represented  by  a  monu- 
ment in  this  place,  where  so  much  blood  was  shed, 
and  yet  it  had  full  claim  to  be  thus  commemorated. 
Through  its  history  it  is  closely  associated  with  my 
house,  and  it  is  called  upon  to  train  its  Princes 
and  Kings,  and  may  therefore  be  properly  re- 
garded as  a  family  and  a  house  regiment.  Never- 
theless, my  imperial  grandfather  did  not  hesitate 

*  Infantry  Regiment  No.  145,  garrisoned  at  Metz. 
144 


i899l      FRENCH  HEROISM  AT  ST.   PRIVAT 

a  moment  to  hazard  these  troops,  which  were  so 
dear  to  him,  for  the  good  of  the  Fatherland. 

History  teaches  us  how  the  regiment  fought  and 
bled  and  respected  its  oath  to  the  flag  and  how  its 
conduct,  its  sufferings,  and  its  losses  won  the 
praise  and  the  tears  of  the  great  Emperor. 

With  me  as  its  oldest  comrade  the  regiment  now 
erects  this  shaft  to  the  memory  of  the  heroes  that 
rest  beneath  the  green  sod.  The  form  of  the 
monument  differs  from  that  which  is  usually  found 
on  battle-fields.  The  archangel  in  armor,  peace- 
fully at  rest,  is  leaning  upon  his  sword,  which  is 
decorated  with  the  proud  motto  of  the  regiment, 
''Semper  talis."*  I  therefore  wish  that  a  general 
significance  should  be  attached  to  this  figure.  It 
stands  upon  this  bloody  field  as  the  guardian  of  all 
the  brave  soldiers,  both  the  French  and  our  own, 
who  fell  here.  For  bravely  and  heroically  the 
French  soldiers  sank  to  their  honored  graves, 
fighting  for  their  Emperor  and  their  Fatherland. 
And  if  our  flags  touch  each  other  as  they  are 
lowered  before  the  bronze  monument  and  sadly 
rustle  over  the  graves  of  our  dear  comrades,  may 
they  also  wave  over  the  graves  of  our  opponents 
and  whisper  to  them  that  in  reverent  sorrow  we 
remember  the  brave  dead! 

*  By  an  unfortunate  error  Penzler  prints  the  motto  as  "Semper 
talio" — "Retaliation  forever."  The  reading  has  been  changed,  as  the 
motto  of  the  regiment  is  in  reality  "Semper  talis" — "Ever  the  same." 

145 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR       [Aug.,  1899 

Let  us  look  up  to  the  Lord  of  Hosts  and  thank 
Him  for  the  guidance  graciously  given  to  our 
great  Emperor.  Let  us  picture  to  ourselves  to-day 
that  the  souls  of  all  those  who  once  opposed  each 
other  in  fierce  conflict  upon  this  field  are  now 
gathered  about  the  throne  of  the  Supreme  Judge 
and  that,  united  in  the  everlasting  peace  of  God, 
they  now  look  down  upon  us. 


146 


V 
THE  GREATER  NAVY 

Many  of  the  speeches  which  follow  will  be 
found  to  bear  upon  the  question  of  increasing  the 
navy,  and  from  this  time  forth,  for  various  reasons, 
that  idea  will  be  uppermost  in  the  Emperor's 
mind.  His  statement  that  he  had,  from  the  first, 
strongly  urged  an  increase  in  the  navy  must  be 
accepted  with  certain  reserves.  Such  increases  as 
were  suggested  were  slight  as  compared  to  the 
programmes  now  to  be  urged,  and  his  speeches  of 
that  time  give  little  evidence  of  any  particular 
insistence  or  disappointment  at  his  failure  in  this 
regard.  He  really  begins  to  preach  the  need  of 
the  greater  navy  insistently  in  the  last  years  of 
the  century,  and  his  present  statement,  "Bitterly 
do  we  need  a  powerful  German  fleet,"  is  his  sharp- 
est pronouncement  up  to  this  time.  It  takes  on 
an  added  significance  if  we  remember  that  it  was 
made  nine  days  after  the  Boer  ultimatum  which 
began  the  Boer  War  had  been  despatched.  In 
this  connection  it  is  well  to  read  the  telegram  sent 

147 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR 

to  President  Kriiger,  printed  with  the  Daily  Tele- 
graph interview  (October  28,  1908). 

WiUiam  II  had  in  1889  divided  the  admiralty 
and  appointed  a  naval  officer  to  act  as  head  of 
the  organization  and  development  of  the  fleet.  It 
was  only  in  the  late  nineties,  however,  after  the  ap- 
pointment of  Admiral  Tirpitz,  that  this  work  began 
to  go  forward  with  leaps  and  bounds.  That  Ger- 
man sentiment  was  quick  to  follow  the  lead  of  the 
Emperor  is  shown  by  the  immense  enthusiasm 
which  has  made  the  German  Navy  League  (or- 
ganized in  1898)  so  great  a  success.  In  1907  it 
already  counted  a  million  paying  members,  and 
its  journal,  Die  Flotte,  had  a  circulation  of  over 
370,000  copies,  which  is  about  as  large  as  that  of 
nearly  all  other  important  German  monthlies  com- 
bined.* Shortly  after  the  disaster  of  Spion  Kop 
Admiral  Tirpitz  spoke  thus:  *'We  do  not  know 
what  adversary  we  may  have  to  face.  We  must 
therefore  arm  ourselves  with  a  view  to  meeting 
the  most  dangerous  naval  conflict  possible."  The 
preamble  to  the  German  navy  bill  of  1900  reads: 
"Germany  must  have  a  fleet  of  such  strength  that 
a  war  against  the  mightiest  power  would  involve 
risks  threatening  the  supremacy  of  that  power." 
Emperor  William  protests,  and  there  is  no  reason 

*  These  are  the  figures  given  by  J.  Ellis  Barker  in  ''Modern 
Germany." 

148 


THE  GREATER  NAVY 

for  doubting  his  sincerity,  that  this  poUcy  of  in- 
creasing the  navy  was  not  primarily  directed  at 
England.  It  was  necessary  to  protect  Germany's 
commerce  and  increase  her  prestige.  On  this 
point  his  famous  interview  given  to  the  Daily 
Telegraph  is  interesting.  Undoubtedly,  however, 
this  rapid  increase  in  the  navy,  which  began  with 
the  navy  bill  of  1900  and  which  happened  to 
coincide  with  the  events  of  the  Boer  War,  did  much 
to  heighten  the  ill  feeling  which  had  already  be- 
gun to  spring  up  between  England  and  Germany. 
The  idea  of  increasing  the  navy  met  with  more 
general  support  among  the  people  than  any  other 
policy  of  the  Emperor's,  though  it  called  for  very 
decided  increases  in  taxation.  How  keen  was 
the  Emperor's  personal  interest  in  the  matter  we 
may  judge  from  the  fact  that  in  1897  he  sent  to 
all  the  members  of  the  Reichstag  and  innumerable 
other  officials  a  memorandum  comparing  the 
naval  strength  of  Germany,  France,  Russia, 
America,  and  Japan.  The  appropriation  bill  of 
that  year  calHng  for  240,000,000  marks  was  voted 
with  a  sHght  reduction.  The  sense  that  the 
struggle  for  naval  supremacy  with  England  was 
impending  made  necessary  immensely  larger  ap- 
propriations in  the  bill  of  1900. 


149 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

"BITTERLY   WE   NEED   A    POWERFUL 
GERMAN    FLEET" 

Hamburg,  October  i8,  1899 

The  Kaiser  Karl  der  Grosse  was  launched  in 
Hamburg  on  the  i8th  of  October,  1899.  It  will 
be  noticed  that  the  Emperor  is  always  careful  to 
observe  the  anniversaries  that  commemorate  the 
military  prowess,  the  birthdays,  and  the  achieve- 
ments of  the  members  of  his  house.  The  present 
date  is  again  an  anniversary  of  the  battle  of 
Leipzig,  181 3.  In  the  evening  the  Emperor  spoke 
as  follows  at  the  banquet  in  the  Rathaus: 

It  is  with  particular  pleasure  that  I  find  myself 
among  you  again  on  this  historic  anniversary. 
It  always  gives  me  new  strength  and  vigor  when 
I  feel  around  me  the  dashing  spray  and  bubbling 
life  of  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Hanseatic  League. 
It  was  a  solemn  act  that  we  have  just  witnessed 
when  we  gave  over  to  its  element  a  new  portion  of 
the  floating  defense  of  the  Fatherland.  Every  one 
who  was  present  must  have  been  impressed  with 
the  thought  that  the  proud  ship  would  soon  be 
able  to  take  up  its  calling.  We  feel  its  lack,  and 
bitterly  do  we  need  a  powerful  German  fleet. 

Its  name  reminds  us  of  the  first  glorious  days  of 
the  old  empire  and  of  its  mighty  protector.  The 
first  beginnings  of  Hamburg  date  from  that  time, 

ISO 


i899l       "WE  NEED  A  POWERFUL  FLEET" 

even  though  it  was  merely  the  point  of  departure 
for  the  missions  in  the  service  of  the  powerful 
Emperor.  Now  our  Fatherland  has  been  newly 
united  through  Emperor  William  the  Great  and 
is  in  a  position  to  take  up  its  glorious  outward 
development.  And  right  here  in  this  great  em- 
porium of  trade  we  feel  the  sense  of  power  and 
energy  which  the  German  people  are  capable  of 
putting  into  their  enterprises  through  the  fact 
that  they  are  bound  together  and  united.  But 
here,  too,  we  can  most  readily  understand  how 
necessary  it  is  that  we  should  have  powerful  sup- 
port and  that  we  can  no  longer  continue  without 
increasing  our  fighting  strength  upon  the  seas. 

But  this  feeling  penetrates  all  too  slowly  into 
the  German  Fatherland,  which  unfortunately 
wastes  its  strength  in  fruitless  party  strife.  I 
have  had  to  watch  with  deep  concern  how  slow 
is  the  progress  of  interest  in,  and  poHtical  com- 
prehension of,  the  great  world  problems  among 
the  German  people. 

If  we  look  about  us  we  can  see  how  in  the  last 
few  years  the  face  of  all  the  world  has  been 
changed.  Old  world  empires  are  disappearing  and 
new  ones  are  arising.  Nations  have  appeared 
among  the  peoples  and  are  taking  their  place  in  the 
competition — nations  which  previously  the  layman 
had  scarcely  noticed.     Events  which  change  the 

151 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

whole  field  of  international  relationships  and  the 
whole  field  of  our  national  economy,  and  which 
formerly  were  accomplished  only  in  the  course 
of  centuries,  now  take  place  in  a  few  months. 
Through  this  fact  the  tasks  of  the  German  Empire 
and  the  German  people  have  grown  greatly  in  ex- 
tent and  demand  from  me  and  my  government 
extraordinary  and  serious  efforts.  They  can  be 
crowned  with  success  only  if  the  Germans  stand 
behind  us  firmly  united  and  give  up  their  party 
divisions.  But  our  people  must  make  up  their 
minds  to  make  sacrifices.  Above  all  things,  it 
must  give  up  the  attempt  to  find  the  highest  by 
dividing  itself  more  and  more  sharply  into  parties. 
It  must  cease  to  put  the  party  above  the  good  of 
the  nation.  It  must  put  a  check  upon  its  old  he- 
reditary failing  to  make  everything  the  occasion 
of  unrestrained  criticism,  and  it  must  realize  the 
boundaries  which  its  own  vital  interests  draw  for 
it.  For  it  is  precisely  these  old  political  sins  which 
are  now  being  visited  upon  our  interests  on  the  sea 
and  upon  our  fleet.  I  insistently  requested  and 
warned  that  it  must  be  strengthened  in  the  first 
eight  years  of  my  reign,  and  if  these  requests  had 
not  been  continually  refused,  and  refused  in  ways 
which  heaped  scorn  and  ridicule  upon  me,  we 
would  have  been  able  to  advance  our  growing 
trade  and  our  oversea  interests  far  differently. 

152 


1899]       "WE  NEED  A  POWERFUL  FLEET" 

But  my  hopes  that  the  German  will  choose  the 
manlier  way  have  not  yet  disappeared,  for  in  him 
love  of  the  Fatherland  is  great  and  powerful.  The 
October  fires  which  to-day  he  lights  upon  the  hills 
and  by  which  he  celebrates  the  noble  figure  of  the 
Emperor*  who  was  born  on  this  day  bear  eloquent 
witness  to  this  fact. 

And,  in  fact,  Emperor  Frederick  with  his  great 
father  and  his  great  paladins  did  help  to  build  a 
wonderful  edifice  and  left  it  to  us  as  the  German 
Empire.  It  stands  before  us  in  glory,  as  it  had 
been  yearned  for  by  our  fathers  and  celebrated 
by  our  poets !  Let  us  no  longer,  therefore,  as 
heretofore,  dispute  uselessly  as  to  how  the  partic- 
ular rooms,  halls,  and  apartments  of  this  building 
are  to  look  or  how  they  are  to  be  furnished;  but 
may  the  people,  burning  like  these  October  fires 
with  an  ideal  enthusiasm,  strive  to  follow  its  ideal 
second  Emperor,  and  above  all  things  let  it  re- 
joice in  the  beautiful  edifice  and  help  to  protect  it. 
Let  it  be  proud  of  its  greatness.  Let  it  be  conscious 
of  its  inner  worth.  Let  it  watch  every  foreign 
state  in  its  development.  Let  it  make  the  sacrifices 
which  our  position  as  a  world-power  demands.  Let 
it  give  up  the  spirit  of  party  and  stand  united  and 
firm  behind  its  princes  and  its  Emperor — then 
only  will  the  German  people  help  the  Hanseatic 

*  Frederick  IIL 
IS3 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Jan. 

cities   in   carrying  out   their  great  work  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Fatherland. 

That  is   my  wish   to-day,   and  to  it   and  the 
health  of  Hamburg  I  raise  my  glass. 


ON  THE  THRESHOLD  OF  THE  NEW 
CENTURY 

Berlin,  January  i,  1900 

The  military  New  Year's  celebration  took  place 
near  the  armory,  and  the  standards  of  the  entire 
BerHn  garrison  were  for  this  purpose  brought  from 
the  Royal  Palace.  The  Empress  and  her  younger 
children  watched  the  celebration  from  the  windows 
of  the  armory. 

The  first  day  of  the  new  century  sees  our  army, 
that  is  our  people  under  arms,  gathered  about  its 
standards  and  kneeling  before  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 
And,  indeed,  if  any  one  has  particular  cause  for 
bowing  down  to-day  before  God  it  is  our  army. 

A  glance  at  our  flags  will  explain  the  reason,  for 
they  embody  our  history.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
last  century  what  was  the  position  of  our  army  ? 
The  glorious  army  of  Frederick  the  Great  had  be- 
come ossified  and  was  interested  only  in  petty 
and  insignificant  details;  it  was  led  by  generals 
feeble  with  age  and  no  longer  capable  of  conducting 
active  campaigns;  its  corps  of  officers  had  lost  the 

154 


i9oo]  THE  NEW  CENTURY 

habit  of  invigorating  labor;  through  a  Hfe  of  lux- 
ury and  comfort  and  foolish  exaltation  of  self  it 
had  fallen  asleep  upon  its  laurels.  In  one  word, 
the  army  was  not  only  no  longer  capable  of  carry- 
ing out  its  task,  but  had  forgotten  it. 

The  punishment  of  Heaven  was  grievous,  for  it 
was  suddenly  visited  upon  our  entire  people.  Cast 
down  into  the  dust,  Frederick's  glory  vanished, 
and  the  army's  standards  were  broken.  In  the 
seven  long  years  of  grievous  slavery  God  taught 
our  people  to  take  thought,  and  under  the  pressure 
of  the  foot  of  an  insolent  conqueror  developed 
the  idea  of  universal  military  service,  the  idea  that 
the  greatest  honor  lies  in  dedicating  our  services 
in  arms  and  in  sacrificing  our  blood  and  our  pos- 
sessions for  the  Fatherland.  My  great-grand- 
father gave  the  idea  form  and  life,  and  new  laurels 
crowned  the  newly  established  army  and  her 
recent  flags. 

But  the  idea  of  universal  military  service 
reached  its  full  significance  only  under  our  great 
departed  Emperor.  In  spite  of  opposition  and 
lack  of  comprehension  he  quietly  went  to  work  at 
the  reorganization,  and  at  the  re-establishment  of 
our  army.  Victorious  campaigns,  nevertheless, 
gave  his  work  an  altogether  unexpected  sanction. 
His  spirit  filled  the  ranks  of  his  army,  even  as  his 
trust  in  God  carried  them  on  to  unheard-of  vic- 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Jan. 

tories.  With  this,  his  own  creation,  he  brought  the 
Germanic  peoples  together  again  and  gave  us  the 
German  unity  for  which  we  had  prayed.  We  owe 
it  to  him  that,  thanks  to  this  honor,  the  Ger- 
man Empire  commands  respect  again  and  takes 
up  its  appointed  place  in  the  council  of  the  na- 
tions. 

It  is  for  you,  gentlemen,  to  cherish  and  ex- 
emplify in  the  new  century  the  old  qualities 
through  which  our  forefathers  gave  greatness  to 
the  army.  This  means  that  you  must  make  few 
demands  in  daily  Ufe,*  that  you  must  practise 
simplicity  and  give  yourselves  up  unconditionally 
to  the  royal  service,  that  you  must  in  ceaseless 
labor  offer  all  the  powers  of  body  and  soul  to  the 
building  up  and  development  of  our  troops,  and, 

*  "To  the  Americans  the  pay  of  the  German  troops,  officers  and 
men,  is  ludicrously  small.  It  is  evident  that  men  do  not  undertake 
to  fit  themselves  to  be  officers,  and  do  not  struggle  through  frequent 
and  severe  examinations  to  remain  officers,  for  the  pay  they  receive. 
A  lieutenant  receives  for  the  first  three  years  $300  a  year,  from  the 
fourth  to  the  sixth  year  $425,  from  the  seventh  to  the  ninth  year 
$550,  and  after  the  twelfth  year  $600  a  year.  A  captain  receives 
from  the  first  to  the  fourth  year  $850,  from  the  fifth  to  the  eighth 
year  $1,150,  and  the  ninth  year  and  after  $1,275  ^  Y^slt.  Of  one 
hundred  officers  who  join,  only  an  average  of  eight  ever  attain  to 
the  command  of  a  regiment.  In  Bavaria  and  Wiirtemberg  promo- 
tion is  quicker  by  from  one  to  three  years  than  in  Prussia.  In  Prus- 
sia promotion  to  Oberleutnant  averages  10  years,  to  captain  or 
Rittmeister  15  years,  to  major  25  years,  to  colonel  33  years,  and  to 
general  37  years.  It  would  not  be  altogether  inhuman  if  these  gen- 
tlemen occasionally  drank  a  toast  to  war  and  pestilence." — Price 
Collier,  "Germany  and  the  Germans." 

156 


i9oo]  NEW   BOUNDARY   POSTS 

just  as  my  grandfather  labored  for  his  land  forces, 
so,  undeterred,  I  shall  carry  through  to  its  com- 
pletion the  work  of  reorganizing  my  navy  in  order 
that  it  may  stand  justified  at  the  side  of  my  army 
and  that  through  it  the  German  Empire  may  also 
be  in  a  position  to  win  outwardly  the  place  which 
she  has  not  yet  attained. 

When  both  are  united  I  hope  to  be  in  a  position, 
firmly  trusting  in  the  leadership  of  God,  to  carry 
into  effect  the  saying  of  Frederick  William  I: 
"If  one  wishes  to  decide  anything  in  the  world, 
it  cannot  be  done  with  the  pen  unless  the  pen  is 
supported  by  the  force  of  the  sword." 


NEW  BOUNDARY  POSTS 

Berlin,  February  13,  1900 

On  the  occasion  of  the  return  of  Prince  Henry 
from  the  Orient,  whither  he  had  been  sent  at  the 
time  of  the  troubles  in  Kiaochow,  the  Emperor 
greeted  him  at  a  dinner  held  in  the  Royal  Palace 
in  Berhn.  The  question  of  the  imperial  foreign 
policy,  as  during  all  this  period,  is  evidently  here 
uppermost  in  the  Emperor's  mind. 

Your  Royal  Highness,  My  Dear  Brother: 

I  bid  you  a  hearty  welcome  to  our  Fatherland 
and  our  capital !  Two  years  ago  I  sent  you  forth 
to  carry  out  your  task  in  the  far  East,  and  could 

157 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

only  hope  that  God  would  give  you  His  protec- 
tion and  bring  the  work  to  a  successful  issue. 
The  joyous  and  enthusiastic  reception  which  all 
classes  in  my  home  city,  Berlin,  give  you  is  a 
testimony  to  the  loving  interest  which  our  entire 
people  have  in  the  completion  of  the  task  which 
you  had  set  yourself. 

But  this  reception  has  a  still  deeper  significance. 
It  is  an  unambiguous  indication  which  proves  how 
deeply  the  people  have  come  to  understand  the 
need  of  strengthening  our  sea  power.  The  German 
people  is  of  one  mind  with  its  princes  and  its  Em- 
peror in  the  feeling  that  in  its  powerful  develop- 
ment it  must  set  up  a  new  boundary  post  and 
create  a  great  fleet  which  will  correspond  to  its 
needs. 

Just  as  Emperor  WiUiam  the  Great  created  the 
weapon  by  whose  help  we  became  again  black, 
white,  and  red,  so  the  German  people  is  now 
lending  its  efforts  to  forging  the  weapon  through 
which,  God  willing  and  in  all  eternity,  both  here 
and  in  foreign  countries,  it  will  remain  black, 
white,  and  red. 

On  your  return  you  find  a  little  lad*  in  the  arms 
of  your  faithful  wife.  As  sponsor  for  the  growth  of 
our  young  fleet  may  you  see  him  grow  up  to  full 
maturity  under  the  protection  of  God  !     Hurrah  ! 

*  Prince  Henry,  born  January  9,  1900. 
158 


i9ool  SEAPORTS  AND  CANNON 

SEAPORTS  AND  CANNON 

LiJBECK,  June  i6,  1900 

The  opening  of  the  Elbe-Trave  Canal  took 
place  at  Liibeck  in  the  presence  of  the  Emperor. 
He  again  took  up  the  question  of  the  development 
of  the  German  Empire. 

On  this  day  I  congratulate  the  city  of  Liibeck 
most  heartily.  First  of  all  I  offer  my  heartiest 
thanks  for  the  wonderful  reception  which  you  pre- 
pared for  me.  I  have  seen  in  the  attitude  and  the 
faces  of  the  citizens  how  joyously  their  hearts  are 
moved  to-day;  for  they  know  that  I,  too,  take  a 
lively  interest  in  all  that  now  moves  them.  May 
the  canal  which  they  have  carried  through  with 
their  irresistible  Hanseatic  activity  not  fall  short 
in  any  way  of  their  expectations,  and  I  am  con- 
vinced that  it  will  not  do  so.  You  see,  as  you 
look  upon  the  completed  work,  how  significant 
it  is  that  a  united  German  Empire  now  exists. 
Its  past  glories  Liibeck  owed  to  the  German  Em- 
perors, and  its  present  glory  it  owes  to  the  German 
Empire,  so  I  hope  that  everywhere  in  the  empire 
and  among  the  people  the  conviction  may  grow 
that  through  the  re-estabhshment  and  strengthen- 
ing of  the  German  Empire  we  are  now  called  upon 
to  carry  through  those  old  tasks  which  could  not 

159 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [July 

be  accomplished  formerly  and  which  were  rendered 
impossible  through  the  unfortunate  lack  of  union 
of  our  ancestors. 

I  hope  that  in  the  future,  under  my  protection, 
Liibeck  may  continue  to  develop.  I  could  not  ex- 
press this  hope  with  the  same  satisfaction  if  I  did 
not  now  stand  before  you  joyously  buoyed  up  by 
the  hope  that  we  to-day  have  the  prospect  of  at 
last  possessing  a  German  fleet. 

An  Emperor  can  only  undertake  to  protect  a 
seaport  when  he  is  in  a  position  with  his  cannon 
to  protect  her  flag,  even  in  the  farthermost  corners 
of  the  world,  whether  it  be  that  of  Liibeck,  or  of 
Hamburg,  or  of  Bremen,  or  of  Prussia. 

May  it  be  granted  us  to  maintain  peace  out- 
wardly through  our  fleet,  and  may  we  succeed 
through  the  building  of  the  necessary  canals 
within  to  simphfy  the  problem  of  transportation  ! 
A  blessing  will  certainly  always  rest  upon  our 
waterways. 


THE  OCEAN  KNOCKS  AT  OUR  DOOR 

Kiel,  July  3,  1900 

The  ship  of  the  line  "Wittelsbach"  was  launched 
on  this  day.  As  the  house  of  Wittelsbach  is  the 
reigning  house  of  Bavaria,  Prince  Rupprecht  of 
Bavaria  was  present  at  the  christening  and  gave 

160 


I900]    THE  OCEAN  KNOCKS  AT  OUR  DOOR 

the  boat  its  name.  A  banquet  took  place  in  the 
evening  at  the  officers'  casino.  The  Emperor 
repHed  to  Prince  Rupprecht  as  follows: 

I  thank  your  Royal  Highness  for  the  friendly 
words  which  you  have  been  good  enough  to  ad- 
dress to  me. 

At  the  christening  of  this  new  ship  your  Royal 
Highness  has  mentioned  the  support  which  the 
house  of  Wittelsbach  has  given  to  the  German 
Emperors.  I  would  like  to  call  attention  in  this 
connection  to  an  episode  in  the  early  history  of 
our  houses. 

On  the  fields  before  Rome  it  was  granted  to  one 
of  the  ancestors  of  your  Royal  Highness  in 
company  with  one  of  mine  to  be  made  the  re- 
cipient of  a  very  unusual  distinction.  Mounted 
upon  their  horses  and  clad  in  armor,  in  sight  of 
the  hostile  squadron  of  knights,  they  received  the 
accolade  from  Emperor  Henry  VH.  The  inci- 
dent is  immortalized  in  a  picture  upon  my  yacht 
Hohenzollern. 

The  descendants  of  those  princes  gave  each 
other  assistance  at  Miihldorf,*  where  the  Hohen- 
zoller  won  the  battle  for  Emperor  Ludwig  of 
Bavaria.  Just  as  at  that  time  the  houses  of 
Wittelsbach  and  of  Hohenzollern  fought  side  by 

*  Battle  fought  in  1322  between  two  competitors  for  the  empire, 
Louis  V  and  Frederick  the  Fair. 

161 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [July 

side  for  the  good  of  the  empire,  so  now,  too,  and  in 
the  future  they  will  work  together. 

Your  Royal  Highness  has  had  the  opportunity 
to  be  present  during  these  days  when  we  came 
to  weighty  conclusions  and  to  be  the  witness  of 
historical  moments  which  mark  a  new  point  in  the 
history  of  our  people.  Your  Royal  Highness  has 
been  able  to  convince  himself  how  powerfully  the 
wave  beat  of  the  ocean  knocks  at  the  door  of  our 
people  and  forces  it  to  demand  its  place  in  the 
world  as  a  great  nation;  drives  it  on,  in  short,  to 
world  politics. 

Germany's  greatness  makes  it  impossible  for  her 
to  do  without  the  ocean — but  the  ocean  also  proves 
that  even  in  the  distance,  and  on  its  farther  side, 
without  Germany  and  the  German  Emperor  no 
great  decision  dare  henceforth  be  taken.* 

I  do  not  believe  that  thirty  years  ago  our  Ger- 
man people,  under  the  leadership  of  their  princes, 
bled  and  conquered  in  order  that  they  might  be 
shoved  aside  when  great  decisions  are  to  be  made 
in  foreign  politics.  If  that  could  happen  the  idea 
that  the  German  people  are  to  be  considered  as  a 
world-power  would  be  dead  and  done  for,  and  it  is 
not  my  will  that  this  should  happen.  To  this  end 
it  is  only  my  duty  and  my  finest  privilege  to  use 

*  See  the  introduction  to  chapter  IV,  "  The  Beginning  of  World 
Politics." 

162 


i9oo]         OPEN  THE  WAY  FOR  CULTURE 

the  proper  and,  if  need  be,  the  most  drastic  means 
without  fear  of  consequences.  I  am  convinced 
that  in  this  course  I  have  the  German  princes 
and  the  German  people  firmly  behind  me. 

It  is  of  great  significance  that  precisely  at  this 
time,  when  Bavarians  and  Wurtembergers,  Saxons 
and  Prussians  are  going  into  the  far  East  in  order 
to  re-establish  the  honor  of  the  German  flag, 
your  Royal  Highness  should  have  accepted  the 
honor  of  the  d  la  suite  position  to  the  naval  bat- 
tahon.  Just  as  the  house  of  Wittelsbach  took  up 
arms  in  1870  to  fight  for  Germany's  honor,  for 
her  union,  and  her  imperial  dignity,  so  I  hope  that 
the  empire  may  always  be  assured  of  the  support 
of  this  noble  race. 

As  a  representative  of  this  noble  house  I  greet 
your  Royal  Highness  with  the  wish  that  the  close 
connection  which  the  a  la  suite  position  to  my 
navy  now  gives  you  will  always  maintain  your 
Royal  Highness's  interest  for  our  fleet. 

I  drink  to  the  health  of  his  Royal  Highness, 
Prince  Rupprecht  of  Bavaria.  Hurrah  !  Hurrah  ! 
Hurrah! 

OPEN  THE  WAY  FOR  CULTURE 

Bremen,  July  27,  19CXD 

Events  in  China  touched  upon  in  the  speech 
delivered    on    December    15,    1897,    had    finally 

163 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [July 

brought  about  the  Pekin  crisis.  Baron  von 
Ketteler,  the  German  Minister,  had  been  shot 
down  in  the  streets  on  June  20. 

The  following  is  one  of  five  speeches  which  the 
Emperor  delivered  on  the  occasion  of  the  de- 
parture of  the  German  troops  for  China.  This 
particular  one  was  delivered  to  the  troops  at 
Bremen  in  the  presence  of  the  Empress,  Princes 
Eitel  Friedrich  and  Adelbert,  Chancellor  Hohen- 
lohe.  Secretary  of  State  von  Biilow,  Minister  of 
War  von  Gossler,  and  Lieutenant-General  von 
Bessel.  Various  versions  of  this  speech  exist  and 
in  many  of  them  the  harshness  of  the  Emperor's 
expression  has  been  toned  down.  We  give  first 
the  version  which  was  printed  in  the  Reichsan- 
zeiger,  the  official  journal,  and  which  seems  to 
have  been  somewhat  edited.  In  order  that  the 
reader  may  realize  more  fully  the  impression  con- 
veyed by  the  Emperor's  farewell  address  to  his 
troops,  we  print  under  it  the  account  which  a 
volunteer  of  the  ist  East  Asiatic  Regiment  of 
infantry  sent  home  to  his  family. 

Great  tasks  oversea  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of 
the  newly  arisen  German  Empire,  tasks  far  greater 
than  many  of  my  countrymen  have  expected. 
The  character  of  the  German  Empire  makes  it  a 
duty  for  it  to  protect  its  citizens  no  matter  how 
far  they  may  have  penetrated  into  foreign  lands. 
The  new  German  Empire  is  in  a  position  to  dis- 
charge the  task  which  the  old  Roman  Empire  of  the 

164 


i9oo]         OPEN  THE  WAY  FOR  CULTURE 

German  Nation  could  not  discharge.    The  instru- 
ment which  makes  this  possible  for  us  is  our  army. 

In  thirty  years  of  faithful  and  peaceful  labor  it 
has  been  developed  according  to  the  principles 
of  my  late  grandfather.  You  too  have  received 
your  training  according  to  these  principles,  and 
are  now  called  upon  to  give  proof  before  the  enemy 
whether  or  not  you  have  observed  them  well. 
Your  comrades  of  the  navy  have  undergone  this 
trial;  they  have  shown  you  that  the  principles  of 
our  training  are  good,  and  I  am  proud  of  the 
praise  which  has  come  from  the  mouths  of  foreign 
leaders,  in  recognition  of  the  service  which  your 
comrades  out  there  have  given.  It  is  now  for  you 
to  do  likewise. 

A  great  task  is  waiting  for  you.  You  are  to 
right  the  grievous  wrong  which  has  been  done. 
The  Chinese  have  overthrown  the  law  of  nations; 
in  a  way  which  has  never  been  heard  of  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  they  have  scorned  the  duties 
of  hospitality  and  the  sanctity  of  the  Ambassador. 
This  is  the  more  revolutionary,  as  this  crime  was 
committed  by  a  nation  which  is  proud  of  its  very 
ancient  culture.  Preserve  the  old  Prussian  thor- 
oughness; show  yourselves  as  Christians  in  joyfully 
bearing  your  trials;  may  honor  and  glory  follow 
your  flags  and  weapons!  Give  the  world  an  ex- 
ample of  manliness  and  discipline. 

i6s 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [July 

You  know  very  well  that  you  are  to  fight  against 
a  cunning,  brave,  well-armed,  and  terrible  enemy. 
If  you  come  to  grips  with  him,  be  assured  quarter 
will  not  be  given,  no  prisoners  will  be  taken.  Use 
your  weapons  in  such  a  way  that  for  a  thousand 
years  no  Chinese  shall  dare  to  look  upon  a  German 
askance.     Show  your  manliness. 

The  blessing  of  God  be  with  you!  The  prayers 
of  an  entire  people  and  my  wishes  accompany  you, 
every  one.     Open  the  way  for  culture  once  for  all ! 

And  now  take  up  your  journey!  Adieu,  com- 
rades! 

We  here  subjoin  the  account  of  this  speech  as 
given  in  the  letter  of  a  volunteer  in  the  ist  East 
Asiatic  Regiment  of  infantry : 

After  the  Emperor  had  gone  down  the  front 
and  had  greeted  separately  every  battalion,  every 
division  or  squadron,  he  pictured  the  present 
situation  in  eloquent  words  and  called  attention 
to  the  fact  that  no  crime  which  so  cried  to  Heaven 
had  been  recorded  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
but  he  also  set  in  their  proper  light  the  difficulties 
of  the  task  which  we  had  set  for  ourselves  and 
emphasized  the  fact  that  we  had  before  us  an  op- 
ponent equal  in  equipment  and  fame  but  ten 
times  superior  in  numbers.  But,  and  his  words  ran 
about  as  follows,  ^^you  will  and  must  defeat  him 

1 66 


i9oo]  CIVIS   ROMANUS  SUM 

with  the  help  of  God  and,  indeed,  in  such  a  way 
that  the  Chinese  in  thousands  of  years  will  not 
presume  to  raise  his  hand  against  a  German'';  and 
his  voice  became  deeply  moved  and  powerful  as  he 
spoke  the  following  words:  "On  the  strength  of 
the  oath  to  the  flag  which  you  have  sworn  to  me 
I  demand  that  you  give  no  pardon,  that  no 
prisoners  be  taken,  for  you  shall  be  the  avengers 
of  the  abomination  which  has  been  committed  in 
this  present  time."  Then  followed  certain  words 
of  farewell,  and  the  speech  of  the  Emperor  which 
for  me  and  for  many  others  will  be  unforgetable 
closed  with  the  phrase,  "Adieu,  comrades." 


CIVIS  ROMANUS  SUM 

Imperial  Limes  Museum,  Saalburg,  October  ii,  1900 

Limes  was  the  Latin  name  for  the  boundary 
wall  extending  for  about  300  miles  from  the  Rhine 
to  the  Danube  and  separating  the  Roman  Empire 
from  the  free  Germanic  peoples.  At  Saalburg,  in 
the  Taunus  Mountains,  there  stood  on  the  Limes 
an  old  Roman  citadel  which  was  excavated  and 
restored.  The  Romanized  ceremony  at  the  laying 
of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Imperial  Limes  Museum 
struck  certain  German  critics  as  somewhat  the- 
atrical. The  guards  had  been  drilled  to  clash 
their  swords  on  their  shields  after  the  manner 
of  the  Pretorian  guards,  the  rector  of  the  school 

167 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

offered  his  homage  in  Latin  verses,  and  boys  whose 
hair  had  been  dressed  in  Roman  fashion  swung 
their  censers.  The  Emperor's  historical  references 
here  about  the  relation  of  Germany  to  Rome  are 
somewhat  one-sided.  It  may  be  recalled,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Emperor's  remarks  about  Augus- 
tus and  his  salutary  influence  on  Germany,  that 
in  the  Forest  of  Teutoburg  there  is  a  great  monu- 
ment to  commemorate  the  fact  that  the  united 
German  tribes,  struggHng  victoriously  against  this 
"  Roman  culture  which  fell  so  fruitfully  upon 
Germany  especially,"  there  annihilated  the  forces 
of  the  general  of  Augustus,  QuintiHus  Varus. 

My  first  thought  to-day  goes  back  in  solemn 
gratitude  to  my  father  of  everlasting  memory, 
Emperor  Frederick  III.  It  is  to  his  creative  will 
and  to  his  activity  that  Saalburg  owes  its  res- 
toration. 

Just  as  in  the  far  east  of  the  monarchy  at  his 
bidding  the  powerful  stronghold,  which  once  had 
implanted  German  culture  into  the  east,  rearose 
and  is  now  nearing  completion,  so,  too,  here  in 
the  beautiful  Taunus  Mountains  the  old  Roman 
citadel  has  arisen  again  like  a  phoenix  from  its 
ashes.  It  is  a  testimony  to  the  Roman  power,  a 
link  in  the  great  chain  which  the  legions  of  Rome 
built  about  the  powerful  empire  which,  at  the  bid- 
ding of  the  Roman  Emperor  Caesar  Augustus 
alone,  forced  its  way  upon  the  world  and  opened 

1 68 


THE  EMPEROR  IX  1900 


1900]       ORDER  TO  THE  PRUSSIAN  ARMY 

the  whole  world  to  that  Roman  culture  which  fell 
so  fruitfully  upon  Germany  especially. 

With  the  first  blow  of  my  hammer  I  therefore 
dedicate  this  stone  to  the  memory  of  Emperor 
Frederick  III;  with  the  second  I  dedicate  it  to 
German  youth,  to  the  generations  now  growing 
up  who  may  learn  here  in  this  restored  museum 
what  a  world-empire  means;  with  the  third  I 
dedicate  it  to  our  German  Fatherland,  to  which 
I  hope  it  will  be  granted,  through  the  harmonious 
co-operation  of  princes  and  peoples,  of  its  armies 
and  its  citizens,  to  become  in  the  future  as  closely 
united,  as  powerful,  and  as  authoritative  as  once 
the  Roman  world-empire  was,  and  that,  just  as 
in  old  times  they  said,  ''Civis  romanus  sum,"  here- 
after, at  some  time  in  the  future,  they  will  say: 
"I  am  a  German  citizen." 


CABINET  ORDER  TO  THE  PRUSSIAN  ARMY 

January,  1901 

The  relationship  of  the  army  to  the  Prussian 
Kings  here  referred  to  is  treated  in  chapter  I. 

To  My  Army: 

To-day,  at  the  celebration  which  commemorates 
the  two-hundredth  anniversary  of  our  taking  over 
of  the  royal  power  of  Prussia,  my  thoughts  are 

169 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Jan. 

directed  first  of  all  to  my  army.  In  Prussia  the 
King  and  the  army  belong  indissolubly  together. 
This  close  personal  relationship  between  me  and 
every  single  one  of  my  officers  and  soldiers  rests 
upon  a  tradition  that  dates  back  200  years.  The 
spirit  which  from  the  time  of  Frederick  the  Great 
has  been  fostered  in  the  army  by  all  the  Kings,  the 
spirit  of  honor,  of  fidelity  to  duty,  of  obedience,  of 
courage,  of  chivalry  has  made  the  army  what  it  is 
and  what  it  ought  to  be,  the  sharp,  reliable  weapon 
in  the  hand  of  her  Kings  for  the  protection  and  the 
blessing  of  the  Fatherland's  greatness. 

To  serve  the  Fatherland  at  the  head  of  the  army, 
that  is  my  will  and  that  also  was  the  foremost  wish 
of  all  my  predecessors.  It  is  to  their  care  that  the 
army  owes  its  power  and  the  consideration  which 
it  enjoys.  For  2CX)  years  she  has  proven  true  the 
sentence  of  the  great  King:  "The  world  does  not 
rest  upon  the  shoulders  of  Atlas  any  more  securely 
than  the  Prussian  state  upon  the  shoulders  of  the 
army!"  It  has  sealed  with  its  blood  its  love  and 
gratitude  for  its  Kings ! 

For  all  this  I  thank  the  army  deeply.  I  thank 
it  for  the  devotion  which  it  has  unselfishly  shown 
me  and  my  house  year  in  and  year  out,  in  its 
unceasing  service  for  the  Fatherland.  So  long  as 
this  spirit  binds  the  army  to  its  Kings,  so  long  we 
need   fear   no   storms;     and   Prussia's   eagle  will 

170 


1901]  DEDICATION  OF   BARRACKS 

proudly  pursue  its  lofty  and  undeflected  flight 
for  the  good  of  Prussia,  for  the  good  of  Germany ! 
May  God  grant  us  this ! 

William,  I.  R. 

Berlin  Royal  Palace. 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  BARRACKS  OF  THE 
ALEXANDER  REGIMENT 

March  28,  1901 

On  the  6th  of  March  the  Emperor  had  been 
struck  in  the  face  by  a  piece  of  iron  hurled  at  him 
by  an  irresponsible  youth,  Weiland,  in  the  streets 
of  Bremen.  It  was  doubtless  this  incident  coupled 
with  the  increasing  strength  of  the  Social  Demo- 
crats that  made  him  think  of  the  possibiHty  of  an 
uprising  and  deliver  the  following  address  to  the 
population  of  Berlin.  The  Social  Democrats  and 
many  others  resented  his  suggesting  the  possi- 
bility of  turning  the  troops  upon  the  citizens.  We 
give  first  Penzler's  more  or  less  official  account 
of  the  speech  as  it  appeared  in  the  Kreuzzeitung. 
If  the  extract  which  we  quote  from  Doctor  Liman's 
work  "Der  Kaiser"  may  be  considered  at  all 
authentic,  the  speech  seems  to  have  been  some- 
what edited  before  publication. 

Members   of  the  Emperor  Alexander  Regi- 
ment: 

To-day  a  new  period  in  your  history  begins. 
May  the  spirit  of  the  memories  which  you  leave 

171 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

behind  you  in  the  old  barracks  Hve  on  in  your 
new  home.  They  are  memories  of  beautiful  days 
of  peace  and  of  fierce  days  of  conflict.  Like  a  firm 
bulwark,  your  new  barracks  stand  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  palace,  which  it  is  primarily  your  duty 
to  be  ever  ready  to  defend.  The  Emperor  Alex- 
ander Regiment  is  called  upon  in  a  sense  to  stand 
ready  as  body-guard  by  night  and  by  day  and,  if 
necessary,  to  risk  its  Hfe  and  its  blood  for  the 
King  and  his  house;  and  if  ever  again  (the  Em- 
peror here  called  to  mind  the  faithful  bearing  of 
the  Alexander  Regiment  at  the  time  of  the  revolts 
against  the  King  in  1848)  a  time  like  this  should 
reappear  in  this  city,  a  time  of  uprising  against 
the  King,  then  I  am  convinced  the  Alexander 
Regiment  will  be  able  energetically  to  force  back 
into  bounds  any  impertinence  and  rebelliousness 
against  its  royal  master.* 

I  hope  that  a  brilliant  and  beautiful  existence 
may  be  in  store  for  the  regiment  in  its  new  home, 
and  that  such  an  existence  will  be  reserved  for  it 
in  the  future.  May  it  cherish  above  all  things  its 
memories  of  its  earlier  leaders  and  its  enduring 

*  This  last  sentence  reads  as  follows  in  Doctor  Liman's  work: 
"But  if  the  city  should  ever  again  presume  to  rise  up  against  its 
master  then  will  the  regiment  repress  with  the  bayonet  the  imperti- 
nence of  the  people  toward  their  King."  Doctor  Liman  states  that 
it  was  currently  reported  that  this  sentiment  had  been  expressed 
in  phrases  which  were  even  more  objectionable  to  the  citizens  who 
were  standing  outside  the  circle  of  soldiers. 

172 


i9oi]  DEDICATION  OF   BARRACKS 

relationships  to  them.  These  memories  can  only 
be  fostered  through  courage,  fidelity,  and  uncon- 
ditional obedience.  And  if  this  old  spirit  lives  on 
in  the  regiment  then  must  its  acts  always  win  for 
it  the  satisfaction  of  its  royal  master. 

(After  the  banquet  in  the  officers'  mess  the 
Emperor  turned  over  to  them  a  large  painting  of 
the  Alexander  Regiment  on  the  evening  of  the 
battle  of  St.  Privat.  The  official  report  gives  the 
Emperor's  speech  partly  in  his  own  words  and 
partly  in  summary.) 

He  was  convinced  that  the  officers  had  brought 
the  old  spirit  into  their  new  quarters,  and  that 
they  would  continue  to  foster  it.  He,  too,  on  his 
side,  wished  to  contribute  something  to  the 
decoration  of  their  new  home,  and  to  this  end  had 
chosen  an  episode  out  of  the  victorious  history 
of  the  regiment,  and  in  doing  so  he  wished  to 
carry  out  a  wish  of  the  officers. 

"In  most  of  the  pictures  based  upon  the  martial 
history  of  Prussia  the  Prussian  troops  are  repre- 
sented in  victorious  advance  when,  under  their 
powerful  shock,  they  are  overthrowing  the  enemy. 
I  thought  it  fitting  for  once  to  have  the  Prussian 
toughness  and  endurance  on  the  defensive  repre- 
sented in  the  battle  of  a  smaller  body  against  an 
overwhelmingly  superior  force.    The  picture  repre- 

173 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [April 

sents  how  a  small  number  from  the  Alexander 
Regiment  defended  themselves  with  heroic  spirit 
against  an  entire  brigade  and  finally  victoriously- 
repulsed  it.  My  grandfather  expressed  to  the 
body-guard  as  a  whole  his  gratitude  for  its  brave 
conduct  in  the  face  of  the  enemy  and  for  all  its 
heroic  deeds.  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  the 
officers  of  the  Alexander  Regiment  will  always  be 
mindful  of  its  task,  seeing  that  it  educates  soldiers 
for  the  one  moment  when  it  is  a  question  of  sealing 
with  their  life-blood  their  fidelity  toward  King  and 
Fatherland.  This  consciousness  gives  me  the 
certainty  that  we  shall  conquer  everywhere,  even 
though  we  be  surrounded  by  enemies  on  all  sides; 
for  there  lives  a  powerful  ally,  the  old,  good  God* 
in  heaven,  who,  ever  since  the  time  of  the  Great 
Elector  and  of  the  great  King,  has  always  been  on 
our  side." 

TO  THE  STUDENTS  AT  BONN 

April  24,  1901 

Emperor  William  had  himself  been  a  student  at 
Bonn.  On  this  day  the  Crown  Prince  was  matric- 
ulated at  that  university  and  in  the  evening  the 
students  held  a  Festkommers,  a  kind  of  banquet  of 
the  student  societies,  at  which  the  Emperor  ap- 
peared with  the  Crown  Prince  and  his  brother-in- 

*  Der  alte,  gute  Gott. 
174 


i9oi]  TO  THE   STUDENTS  AT  BONN 

law,  Prince  Adolph  von  Schaumburg-Lippe.  After 
singing  two  student  songs,  the  student  leader 
of  the  Kommers,  *'Studiosus"  von  Alvensleben, 
greeted  the  Emperor  with  a  speech  of  welcome. 
In  this  friendly  gathering  the  Emperor  took  oc- 
casion to  discuss  the  history  of  the  empire  and 
especially  the  reasons  for  the  failure  of  the  older 
empire  because  of  its  cosmopolitan  character. 
The  new  empire  must  be  based  upon  a  recognition 
of  the  characteristic  German  traits  and  will  be 
possible  only  through  the  whole-hearted  support 
of  the  constituent  states  of  the  realm. 

I  do  not  need  to  emphasize  or  even  to  mention 
to  you,  my  dear  young  comrades,  what  emotions 
thrill  my  heart  at  finding  myself  again  among 
students  in  beautiful  Bonn.  There  unrolls  before 
my  mind's  eye  the  glimmering  picture  of  sunshine 
and  happy  contentment  with  which  the  period 
of  my  own  sojourn  here  was  filled.  It  was  the  joy 
of  living,  joy  in  people  old  and  young,  and,  above 
all  things,  joy  in  the  development  of  the  young 
German   Empire ! 

It  is  therefore  my  wish  at  this  moment,  when  I 
place  my  dear  son  among  you,  that  he,  too,  may 
have  as  happy  a  time  as  a  student  as  was  once 
vouchsafed  to  me.  And,  indeed,  how  could 
it  be  otherwise  ?  For  Bonn,  the  lovely  city,  is  so 
accustomed  to  the  presence  of  young  men  full  of 
life  and  seems  by  nature  to  have  been  designed 

175 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [April 

to  no  other  end.  Here  the  Crown  Prince  will 
find  memories  of  his  glorious  grandfather  who 
could  not  forget  Bonn — his  kindly  eyes  brightened 
whenever  the  name  of  the  city  which  had  become 
so  dear  to  him  was  mentioned — memories  of  his 
great-grandfather,  the  noble  prince  consort,  the 
companion  of  that  now  sanctified  royal  lady,*  who 
always  strove  to  maintain  a  peaceful  and  friendly 
relationship  between  her  people  and  ours,  which 
are  both  of  German  stock — memories  of  many 
another  noble  German  prince  who  here  prepared 
himself  for  his  later  career. 

But  even  more  than  that — Bonn  is  situated  on 
the  Rhine;  it  is  here  that  our  grapes  are  gathered; 
our  legends  cluster  about  it,  and  every  castle, 
every  city,  speaks  to  us  of  our  past.  The  magic 
of  Father  Rhine  will  certainly  exercise  its  power 
upon  the  Crown  Prince  likewise.  And  when  you 
joyfully  pass  the  cup  and  sing  a  new  song,  then 
I  hope  that  your  spirits  may  rise  and  enjoy  the 
beautiful  moments  as  becomes  happy  German 
youths !  But  may  the  source  from  which  you 
draw  your  joys  be  as  clear  and  pure  as  the  golden 
juice  of  the  grape,  may  it  be  deep  and  constant 
as  Father  Rhine !  If  we  look  about  us  in  the 
joyous  Rhineland,  our  history  rises  up  before  us 
in  very  palpable  form.     You  may  well  rejoice  that 

*  Queen  Victoria. 
176 


i9oi]  TO  THE  STUDENTS  AT  BONN 

you  are  young  Germans,  as  you  travel  through 
the  stretch  from  Aix  to  Mainz,  that  is,  from 
Charlemagne  to  the  time  of  Germany's  splendor 
under  Barbarossa. 

But  why  did  all  this  glory  come  to  naught  ? 
Why  did  the  German  Empire  dwindle  away  ? 
Because  the  old  empire  was  not  founded  upon  a 
strictly  national  basis.  The  universality  idea 
of  the  old  Roman  Empire  of  the  German  Nation 
did  not  admit  of  any  development  in  the  spirit 
of  German  nationality.  The  life  of  a  nation  de- 
pends upon  its  frontiers,  upon  the  personality  of 
its  people,  and  upon  its  racial  traits.  And  so  the 
glory  of  Barbarossa  had  to  fail,  and  the  old  im- 
perial structure  had  to  fall,  because  through  its 
idea  of  universality  it  hindered  the  process  of 
crystallization  which  might  have  made  it  a  rounded 
and  completed  nation;  for  the  smaller  units 
crystallized  into  the  form  of  powerful  principali- 
ties and  laid  the  foundation  for  new  states.  But 
through  this  process  their  rulers  unfortunately 
came  into  conflict  with  the  empire  and  the  Em- 
peror, who  dreamed  of  universal  dominion,  and 
internal  peace  was  lost  to  the  ever  weakening 
empire.  Unfortunately,  at  the  head  of  this 
chapter  in  the  development  of  our  German 
people  we  must  write  the  telling  words  of  Tacitus, 
that    great    student    of   Germany:    '^Propter    in- 

177 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [April 

vidiamy  The  princes  were  envious  of  the  power 
of  the  Emperors,  just  as  once  they  were  envious  of 
the  power  of  Arminius  in  spite  of  his  victory. 
The  nobiUty  was  envious  of  the  cities  which  had 
become  wealthy,  and  the  peasant  was  envious 
of  the  noble.  What  unhappy  consequences  and 
what  grievous  woes  our  dear  and  beautiful  Ger- 
many had  to  suffer  ^^ propter  invidiam''!  The 
shores  of  Father  Rhine  can  tell  you  long  stories 
about  this.  But  finally  God  allowed  one  to  ac- 
complish what  before  had  been  impossible.  Aix 
and  Mainz  are  for  us  historic  memories;  the 
longing  to  be  brought  together  into  a  single  na- 
tion remained  in  the  German  breast,  and  Emperor 
William  the  Great,  in  union  with  his  faithful 
servants,  achieved  it.  So  cast  your  eyes  from 
Coblentz  to  the  German  Eck  and  from  Riidesheim 
to  the  Niederwald  !  The  pictures  teach  and  prove 
to  you  that  you  are  now  Germans  in  a  German 
land,  citizens  of  a  definitely  bounded  German 
nation.  You  are  here  to  prepare  yourselves  to 
contribute  to  her  future  welfare  and  development. 
In  its  proud  flower  the  empire  stands  before  you. 
May  you  be  filled  with  joy  and  grateful  happi- 
ness, and  may  you  be  thrilled  with  the  firm  and 
manly  resolve,  as  Germans,  to  give  your  service 
to  Germany,  to  support,  strengthen,  and  elevate 
her!     The  future  waits   for  you   and  will   need 

178 


i9oi]  TO  THE  STUDENTS  AT  BONN 

your  strength;  it  does  not  expect  that  you  will 
waste  it  in  idle  cosmopolitan  dreams  or  enhst 
it  in  the  service  of  selfish  party  tendencies,  but 
that  you  will  devote  it  to  strengthening  the  na- 
tional idea  and  our  own  ideals.  Powerful,  indeed, 
are  the  intellectual  heroes  which  the  Germanic 
stock,  through  the  grace  of  God,  has  produced, 
from  the  time  of  Boniface  and  Walter  von  der 
Vogelweide  to  Goethe  and  Schiller;  and  they 
have  become  a  light  and  blessing  to  all  humanity. 
Their  influence  was  exerted  universally,  and  yet 
they  were  strictly  Germans,  set  apart  by  them- 
selves; that  is,  personalities,  men.  We  need  them 
to-day  more  than  ever.  May  you  strive  to  become 
such  as  they  were  ! 

But  how  is  this  to  be  possible,  and  who  is  to 
help  you  ?  Only  one,  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  whose 
name  we  all  bear  and  who  has  borne  our  sins  and 
redeemed  us,  has  provided  us  with  an  example, 
and  labored  as  we  are  to  labor.  He  has  implanted 
moral  earnestness  in  you  so  that  the  springs  of 
your  activity  may  remain  pure  and  that  your  aims 
may  be  lofty !  The  love  of  father  and  mother,  of 
the  ancestral  home  and  Fatherland,  is  rooted  in 
the  love  for  Him.  Then  will  you  be  provided 
with  a  charm  against  temptations  of  every  sort, 
above  all  against  pride  and  envy,  and  you  can 
sing  and  say:  *'We  Germans  fear  God,  nothing 

179 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [June 

else  in  this  world."  Then  will  we  stand  firm  and 
spread  culture  through  the  world,  and  I  shall 
close  my  eyes  in  peace  if  I  see  such  generations 
growing  up  and  gathered  about  my  son.  Then 
"  Deutschland,  Deutschland  ilher  Alles!''  With  this 
prospect  in  mind  I  call  out:  Long  live  the  Uni- 
versity of  Bonn ! 

A  PLACE  IN  THE  SUN 

Hamburg,  June  i8,  1901 

From  his  childhood  the  Emperor  has  been  fond 
of  the  sea.  Most  of  his  vacations  have  been  taken 
aboard  his  famous  yacht  Hohenzollern,  and  al- 
most every  year  he  has  been  an  enthusiastic 
spectator,  and  occasionally  participant,  in  the 
regattas  on  the  Elbe.  On  this  occasion  the  steam- 
yacht  Prinzessin  Victoria  Luise  was  placed  at 
his  disposition  by  the  directors  of  the  Hamburg- 
American  Line.  He  is  using  his  famous  phrase, 
"a  place  in  the  sun"  with  reference  to  the  happy 
outcome  of  events  in  China,  for  on  May  27  of 
this  year  China  had  finally  accepted  the  terms  of 
the  powers.  Of  the  90,0(X)  men  sent  by  the 
powers,  Germany  had  furnished  22,000,  and  the 
general  direction  of  the  expedition  had  been  in- 
trusted to  the  German  general  Von  Waldersee. 
Ballin,  of  the  Hamburg-American  Line,  had  ac- 
quired 3,000  feet  of  water-front  and  had  leased 
for  twenty-five  years  most  of  the  landings  of  a 
Chinese    navigation    company.      The    Emperor's 

180 


i9oi]  A  PLACE  IN  THE  SUN 

speech  was  delivered  in  reply  to  one  by  Burgo- 
master Monckeberg  of  Hamburg. 

I  offer  my  heartiest  thanks  for  the  eloquent 
address  of  your  Magnificence.  I  express  to  you 
and  all  comrades  on  the  water  the  pleasure  which 
I  feel  that  I  should  once  more  be  allowed  to  ap- 
pear among  you  and  take  part  in  the  races  of  the 
North   German   Regatta  Association. 

His  Magnificence,  in  his  short  and  pregnant 
speech,  gave  us  as  good  and  beautiful  a  picture  as 
possible  of  the  development  of  our  Fatherland 
during  recent  years  in  the  field  of  water  sports 
and  of  our  relations  to  foreign  countries.  It  will 
be  my  sole  task  for  the  future  to  see  to  it  that  the 
seeds  which  have  been  sown  may  develop  in  peace 
and  security. 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  we  have  no  such  fleet 
as  we  should  have,  we  have  conquered  for  our- 
selves a  place  in  the  sun.  It  will  now  be  my  task 
to  see  to  it  that  this  place  in  the  sun  shall  remain 
our  undisputed  possession,  in  order  that  the 
sun's  rays  may  fall  fruitfully  upon  our  activity 
and  trade  in  foreign  parts,  that  our  industry  and 
agriculture  may  develop  within  the  state  and 
our  sailing  sports  upon  the  water,  for  our  fu- 
ture lies  upon  the  water.  The  more  Germans  go 
out  upon  the  waters,  whether  it  be  in  the  races 

i8i 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

of  regattas,  whether  it  be  in  journeys  across  the 
ocean,  or  in  the  service  of  the  battle-flag,  so  much 
the  better  will  it  be  for  us.  For  when  the  German 
has  once  learned  to  direct  his  glance  upon  what  is 
distant  and  great,  the  pettiness  which  surrounds 
him  in  daily  Hfe  on  all  sides  will  disappear. 
Whoever  wishes  to  have  this  larger  and  freer  out- 
look can  find  no  better  place  than  one  of  the 
Hanseatic  cities.  What  we  have  learned  out  of 
the  previous  history  of  our  development  amounts 
really  to  what  I  already  pointed  out  when  I  sent 
my  brother  to  the  East  Asiatic  station  (Dec.  15, 
1897).  We  have  merely  drawn  the  logical  con- 
clusions from  the  work  which  was  left  us  by  Em- 
peror William  the  Great,  my  memorable  grand- 
father, and  the  great  man  whose  monument  we 
have  recently  unveiled.*  These  consequences  lie 
in  the  fact  that  we  are  now  making  our  efforts 
to  do  what,  in  the  old  time,  the  Hanseatic  cities 
could  not  accomphsh,  because  they  lacked  the 
vivifying  and  protecting  power  of  the  empire. 
May  it  be  the  function  of  my  Hansa  during  many 
years  of  peace  to  protect  and  advance  commerce 
and  trade ! 

In  the  events  which  have  taken  place  in  China 
I  see  the  indication  that  European  peace  is  as- 
sured for  many  years  to  come;    for  the  achieve- 

*  Bismarck. 
182 


i9oi]  A  PLACE  IN  THE  SUN 

merits  of  the  particular  contingents  have  brought 
about  a  mutual  respect  and  feeHng  of  comrade- 
ship that  can  only  serve  the  furtherance  of  peace. 
But  in  this  period  of  peace  I  hope  that  our  Han- 
seatic  cities  will  flourish.  Our  new  Hansa  will 
open  new  paths  and  create  and  conquer  new 
markets  for  them. 

As  head  of  the  empire  I  therefore  rejoice  over 
every  citizen,  whether  from  Hamburg,  Bremen, 
or  Liibeck,  who  goes  forth  with  this  large  outlook 
and  seeks  new  points  where  we  can  drive  in  the 
nail  on  which  to  hang  our  armor.  Therefore,  I 
believe  that  I  express  the  feeling  of  all  your 
hearts  when  I  recognize  gratefully  that  the  di- 
rector of  this  company  who  has  placed  at  our 
disposal  the  wonderful  ship  which  bears  my 
daughter's  name  has  gone  forth  as  a  courageous 
servant  of  the  Hansa,  in  order  to  make  for  us 
friendly  conquests  whose  fruits  will  be  gathered 
by  our  descendants. 

In  the  joyful  hope  that  this  enterprising  Han- 
seatic  spirit  may  be  spread  even  further,  I  raise 
my  glass  and  ask  all  of  those  who  are  my  comrades 
upon  the  water  to  join  with  me  in  a  cheer  for 
sailing  and  the  Hanseatic  spirit ! 


[83 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [June 

THE  GREAT  ELECTOR 

Kiel,  June  20,  1901 

Because  of  his  activity  in  founding  the  Branden- 
burg fleet,  a  monument  was  erected  to  the  Great 
Elector  at  Kiel.  His  history  has  been  touched 
upon  in  chapter  I.  In  connection  with  the  ser- 
vices of  the  Dutch  admirals  it  is  interesting  to 
note  that  one  of  the  Emperor's  heroes  was  the 
God-fearing  Dutch  admiral  De  Ruyter,  who  always 
offered  prayers  before  battle.  The  Emperor  once 
laid  a  wreath  upon  his  grave,  and  to-day  on  board 
the  battle-ships  the  Dutch  prayer  before  going 
into  action  is  often  read  by  the  chaplains  of  the 
navy. 

What  extraordinary  progress  has  been  made  in 
naval  matters  under  the  Emperor  we  may  judge 
when  we  remember  that  before  the  Franco- 
Prussian  War  there  were  in  Germany  no  con- 
struction bureaus  and  no  wharves  in  which  cruisers 
could  be  built.  The  first  armored  cruisers,  Konig 
Wilhelm,  Kronprinz,  Friedrich  Karl,  were  bought 
from  England  and  France.  In  thirty  years 
Germany  has  here  achieved  not  only  complete 
independence  but  something  approaching  very 
nearly  to  supremacy.  His  service  in  this  field 
has  been  generally  recognized.  A  German  critic 
not  usually  favorable  to  the  Emperor  speaks  thus: 
"Perhaps  nowhere  in  the  development  of  our 
political  life  does  the  personal  activity  of  the  Em- 
peror stand  out  so  strongly  as  in  the  building  up 
of  the  German  fleet.     From  the  beginning  he  has 

184 


i90il  THE  GREAT  ELECTOR 

displayed  so  much  energy  and  perseverance,  in 
this  respect,  and  has  so  emphatically  carried  his 
will  into  effect  that  history  will  certainly  credit 
him  with  a  great  and  unique  service." 

At  the  unveiling  of  the  monument  to  the  Great 
Elector,  the  founder  of  the  German  navy,  the 
Emperor  spoke  as  follows: 

Downtrodden  fields,  desolate  plains,  razed  vil- 
lages, disease,  poverty,  and  misery;  these  were  the 
conditions  in  the  sandy  mark  when  the  young 
Elector  in  his  earliest  youth  was  called  to  the 
throne  by  the  sudden  death  of  his  father.  Truly, 
no  enviable  heritage;  a  task  that  called  for  a  man 
who  was  mature,  experienced,  and  conversant 
with  all  branches,  and  one  which,  even  so,  might 
have  proved  too  difficult. 

Undismayed,  the  young  man  entered  upon  his 
mission,  and  with  wonderful  ability  he  succeeded 
in  discharging  it.  With  an  iron  energy,  keeping 
the  goal  which  he  had  once  set  for  himself  ever 
before  his  eyes,  allowing  nothing  to  turn  him 
aside,  the  Elector  raised  up  and  strengthened  his 
country,  put  his  people  in  a  position  to  defend 
themselves,  freed  his  borders  of  enemies,  and  soon 
acquired  for  himself  such  a  position  that  the  con- 
temporary world,  and  even  his  enemies,  gave  him 
while  still  living  that  title,  "The  Great,"  which 
in   other   cases   a   grateful   people   only    bestows 

i8s 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [June 

after  an  arduous  life  of  service  upon  a  departed 
ruler. 

And  this  youth  who  grew  up  to  powerful  man- 
hood, who  had  directed  his  country  in  this  work, 
was  the  first  prince  who  called  our  attention  to 
the  sea;  he  was  the  founder  of  the  Brandenburg 
fleet. 

If  the  German  fleet,  then,  sets  up  a  monument 
to  him,  and  if  her  officers  and  crews  educate  them- 
selves and  learn  steadfastness  of  purpose  by  look- 
ing at  his  statue,  they  are  merely  discharging 
their  honorable  duty.  God  had  so  disposed  that 
the  Elector  should  pass  his  youth  in  the  Nether- 
lands and  learn  to  foster  and  appreciate  labor, 
industry,  foreign  relationships,  and  the  advantages 
of  trade.  He  carried  over  into  his  own  country 
what  he  had  acquired  among  that  industrious 
and  simple  folk  of  seafarers  who  come  from  Ger- 
man stock.  At  that  time  it  was,  indeed,  a  most 
important  decision,  and  one  which  at  first  his 
subjects  and  contemporaries  could  hardly  under- 
stand. 

Under  his  powerful  will  and  protection,  and  in 
the  hands  of  tried  Netherlanders,  the  Admiral 
Raule  and  his  brother,  the  Brandenburg  fleet 
flourished.  Only  after  the  death  of  the  Elector 
did  his  creation  fall  to  decay.  They  were  not 
destined  to  harvest  the  fruits  of  their  labor.    His 

i86 


i9oil  THE  GREAT  ELECTOR 

successors  in  power  had  first  to  establish  through 
battles  their  rights,  in  order  to  have  a  voice  in 
the  world  and  to  be  allowed  to  rule,  undisturbed 
and  in  peace,  the  people  within  their  borders. 
As  a  result,  our  eyes  were  turned  from  the  sea 
again  in  order  that  after  centuries  of  fierce  con- 
flict the  mark  and  Prussia  might  finally  be  welded 
together. 

Thus,  through  the  guidance  of  God  and  through 
the  labors  of  the  successors  of  the  Great  Elector, 
the  power  of  his  house  was  founded  on  that  firm 
foundation  and  with  the  corner-stone  which  he 
had  laid.  It  was  this  princely  power  that  made  it 
possible  for  the  house  of  Hohenzollern  to  take  up 
the  German  imperial  dignity.  They  founded 
that  dynastic  power  which  the  German  Emperor 
must  have  in  order  to  be  in  a  position  to  care  for 
and  protect  powerfully  the  welfare  of  the  empire 
everywhere  and  to  force  its  opponents  to  respect 
its  flag. 

His  monument  now  stands  before  the  academy. 
That  younger  generation  to  whom  the  future  be- 
longs, which  is  to  cultivate  the  seeds  that  we  have 
sown  and  to  reap  the  harvest  of  our  labors,  may 
now  direct  its  gaze  toward  this  prince  and  be 
edified  by  his  example. 

He  was  God-fearing  and  stern,  inflexibly  stern 
toward    himself  and    toward    others;   he   trusted 

187 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

firmly  in  God  and  allowed  God  to  direct  him, 
undismayed  by  any  reverse  or  by  any  disappoint- 
ment; as  a  Christian,  he  looked  upon  these  merely 
as  trials  sent  him  from  on  high.  In  this  way  the 
Great  Elector  lived  his  Hfe,  and  this  is  the  example 
which  we  are  to  follow.  The  motto  which  made  it 
possible  for  him  never  to  lose  his  hope  and  courage, 
in  spite  of  all  vexations,  in  spite  of  all  reverses 
and  all  grievous  experiences  and  trials,  was  the 
red  thread  which  ran  through  his  life  and  which 
is  expressed  in  his  phrase:  *' Domine,  fac  me  scire 
viam,  quam  amhulem.^* 

May  this  be  true  also  of  the  officers  and  crews 
of  my  navy !  So  long  as  we  work  on  this  basis 
we  can  overcome,  undismayed,  every  grievous 
phase  in  the  development  of  the  navy  and  of  our 
Fatherland  which  God's  providence  may  have 
in  store  for  us.  Let  that  be  the  way  that 
you  shall  go !  Let  that  be  the  foundation  on 
which  my  navy  is  built  up !  This  will  enable  you 
to  conquer  in  battle  and  to  endure  all  vexa- 
tions until  the  sun  again  breaks  forth  from  the 
clouds. 

I  therefore  turn  over  this  new  monument  to  the 
navy.  May  she  protect,  cherish,  and  honor  it,  so 
that  in  the  future  she  may  develop  characters 
which  are  like  his  who  now  stands  before  her! 
Let  the  monument  be  unveiled  ! 

1 88 


i9oi]  PRINCE  EITEL  FRIEDRICH 

ENTRANCE  OF   PRINCE   EITEL   FRIEDRICH 
INTO  THE  ARMY 

July  7,  1901 

The  second  son  of  the  Emperor  took  up  his 
service  in  the  ist  Infantry  Regiment  of  the  Guard 
on  the  completion  of  his  eighteenth  year.  On 
this  occasion,  in  the  presence  of  many  princes, 
officers  of  the  army,  and  military  attaches,  the 
Emperor  turned  over  his  son  to  the  regiment 
with  the  following  words: 

My  second  son,  Prince  Eitel  Friedrich  of  Prus- 
sia, having  applied  himself  eagerly  to  his  studies, 
has  now,  according  to  the  verdict  of  his  superiors, 
passed  his  examination  with  a  "good."  His 
childish  years  lie  behind  him,  and  to-day  he  takes 
up  the  tasks  of  life  for  which  he  has  prepared 
himself — his  foremost  task  the  defense  of  the 
Fatherland — his  noblest  weapon  the  sword,  his 
noblest  uniform  the  Prussian  soldier's  uniform, 
the  uniform  of  my  ist  Infantry  Regiment  of  the 
Guard. 

The  quahties  which  the  Prince  has  shown  in  the 
course  of  his  youthful  development,  as  well  as  his 
oath,  are  a  pledge  to  me  that  he  will  be  a  thorough- 
going officer  and  a  faithful  servant  of  his  Father- 
land. Particularly  gifted  for  the  military  life, 
with  a  quick  eye  for  detail,  the  Prince,  as  soon  as 

189 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [July 

he  has  passed  his  examination  as  an  officer,  will  in 
the  ranks  of  the  regiment  devote  himself  actively 
to  the  service  for  which  he  longs. 

Although  still  very  youthful,  he  should,  never- 
theless, be  an  example  of  earnestness,  an  example 
in  observing  all  military  rules,  an  example  above 
all  as  an  officer  and  man.  I  can  think  of  nothing 
more  beautiful  than  this,  that  he  may  be  an 
earnest  officer  who  turns  an  experienced  eye  upon 
life,  unbending  as  iron  in  everything  which  con- 
stitutes the  chivalry  of  the  officer's  position,  stern 
with  himself  and  maintaining  in  strictest  self-con- 
trol the  traditions  of  his  house  and  of  this  great 
regiment.  May  he  go  his  way  untroubled  by 
voices  from  without,  with  his  eye  firmly  fixed  upon 
his  goal,  and  responsible  only  to  his  God  and  to 
his  father ! 

But  the  regiment  in  which  I  have  now  enrolled 
my  second  son  gives  me  the  assurance  that  the 
young  Prince  will  grow  up  in  an  environment, 
where  from  all  sides  the  glorious  traditions  of 
Prussian  history  in  good  and  evil  days  will  be 
brought  before  him.  The  grenadiers  of  this  regi- 
ment will  be  fully  conscious  of  the  honor  which  is 
bestowed  upon  them  through  the  fact  that  once 
more  a  young  Hohenzollern  takes  his  place  under 
her  flag. 

My  son,  I  wish  you  happiness  of  this  day.  Up 
190 


i9oi]  TRUE  ART 

to  the  present  you  have  given  me  joy,  and  from 
this  time  forth  I  hope  that  you  will  experience 
joy  in  the  life  and  the  work  which  lies  before  you. 
Step  into  the  ranks  and  draw  your  sword ! 


TRUE  ART 

Berlin,  December  i8,  1901 

The  family  of  the  Hohenzollerns  has  possessed 
undoubted  genius  in  many  lines.  Frederick  the 
Great  and  the  Emperor's  great-uncle  Frederick- 
William  IV  were  particularly  gifted  on  the  artistic 
side.  The  present  Emperor,  whose  versatility 
is  amazing,  has  taken  a  particular  interest  in 
things  Hterary  and  artistic,  and  has  himself  oc- 
casionally assumed  the  role  of  creative  artist. 
The  symbolic  picture,  representing  the  coming  of 
the  "Yellow  Peril,"  which  he  is  said  to  have 
painted  for  the  Czar,  caused  much  comment, 
mostly  unfavorable.*  He  has,  however,  assumed 
a    prominent    if   not    a    decisive    role    in    direct- 

*  "Emperor  William,  one  of  the  most  comical  persons  of  our 
time,  orator,  poet,  musician,  dramatic  writer,  and  artist,  and,  above 
all,  patriot,  has  lately  painted  a  picture  representing  all  the  nations 
of  Europe  with  swords,  standing  at  the  seashore  and,  at  the  indica- 
tion of  Archangel  Michael,  looking  at  the  sitting  figures  of  Buddha 
and  Confucius  in  the  distance.  According  to  William's  intention, 
this  should  mean  that  the  nations  of  Europe  ought  to  unite  in  order 
to  defend  themselves  against  the  peril  which  is  proceeding  from  there. 
He  is  quite  right  from  his  coarse,  pagan,  patriotic  point  of  view, 
which  is  eighteen  hundred  years  behind  the  times.  The  European 
nations,  forgetting  Christ,  have  in  the  name  of  their  patriotism  more 

191 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Dec. 

ing  sculpture,  painting,  and  drama  in  his  capital. 
Just  as  he  has  directed  modifications  in  battle- 
ships, so  also  he  has  directed  modifications  in 
public  buildings.  As  he  is  in  a  position  to  dis- 
tribute rewards,  his  advice  is  frequently  accepted 
without  question.  The  following  anecdote,  told 
by  a  prominent  German  architect  and  recounted 
by  a  recent  writer,  may  serve  as  an  illustration: 
Drawings  for  a  new  church  in  Berlin  were  sub- 
mitted to  the  Emperor  for  assent  or  correction. 
His  Majesty,  intending  to  make  a  marginal  remark, 
with  regard  to  the  cross  on  the  top  of  the  steeple, 
put  a  letter  for  reference  above  the  cross  and  drew 
a  straight  line  from  the  letter  down  to  the  cross. 
Having  changed  his  mind,  he  drew  an  X  vigorously 
through  the  letter.  When  the  architect  received 
his  plans  again  he  studied  carefully  all  the  Em- 
peror's corrections,  but  mistook  the  cancelled 
letter  for  a  star.  Knowing  better  than  to  ask 
questions,  he  built  the  church  and  put  a  big  star 
on  a  huge  iron  pole  above  the  top  of  the  cross. 
This  strange  excrescence  was  in  existence  a  few 
years  ago  and  is  probably  still  visible. 


and  more  Irritated  these  peaceful  nations  and  have  taught  them 
patriotism  and  war,  and  have  now  Irritated  them  so  much  that, 
Indeed,  if  Japan  and  China  will  as  fully  forget  the  teachings  of  Buddha 
and  of  Confucius  as  we  have  forgotten  the  teachings  of  Christ,  they 
will  soon  learn  the  art  of  killing  people  (they  learn  these  things 
quickly,  as  Japan  has  proved),  and,  being  fearless,  agile,  strong, 
and  populous,  they  will  inevitably  very  soon  make  of  the  countries 
of  Europe,  If  Europe  does  not  Invent  something  stronger  than  guns 
and  Edison's  Inventions,  what  the  countries  of  Europe  are  making 
of  Africa.  'The  disciple  Is  not  above  his  master:  but  every  one  that 
is  perfect  shall  be  as  his  master'  (Luke  6:40)." — Tolstoi. 

192 


i9oi]  TRUE  ART 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  for  all  the  Emperor's 
insistence  upon  what  might  be  called  nationalism, 
in  artistic  matters  at  least,  in  poetry,  sculpture, 
and  the  drama,  he  has  very  little  sympathy  with 
the  modern  German  tendencies.  Klinger  and 
Stuck,  Ludwig  von  Hofmann  and  Thoma  have 
found  no  favor,  and  no  attention  was  paid  to 
Bocklin.  His  Hterary  preferences  will  become 
more  evident  after  a  reading  of  his  talk  with  Gang- 
hofer  (November  12,  1906). 

In  the  matter  of  sculpture,  the  achievement  in 
which  the  Emperor  takes  most  pride  is  undoubt- 
edly the  famous  Siegesallee  in  Berlin.  It  consists 
of  a  number  of  monumental,  heroic  figures  taken 
from  the  history  of  his  house.  The  avenue,  the 
general  scheme,  and  the  arrangement  of  many  of 
the  figures  were  planned  by  him,  and  the  figures 
were  chosen  in  consultation  with  his  historiog- 
rapher. The  style  is  supposedly  classic;  there 
are  many  incidental  animal  figures,  and  a  sphinx 
and  the  sibyl  help  to  represent  Bismarck.  The 
attempt  to  make  heroic  and  classic  certain  of  the 
fairly  mediocre  representatives  of  his  line,  hke 
Albrecht,  Otto  and  John,  Joachim,  Frederick,  and 
George  William,  seems  to  have  been  too  difficult 
a  task  even  for  that  Berhn  school  of  sculpture, 
which  the  Emperor  feels  would  bear  comparison 
with  that  of  the  Renaissance.  Notwithstanding 
his  own  efforts  to  awaken  art  "from  the  cold 
sleep  of  unculture,"  it  is  perhaps  significant  that 
i  powerful,  independent  personalities,  Michelangelos 
in  sculpture  and  Bismarcks  in  politics,  do  not  seem 
to  thrive  under  the  Emperor's  protection. 

193 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

This  eighteenth  day  of  December  has  a  certain 
significance  in  the  history  of  our  art  here  in  Berlin, 
from  the  fact  that  that  revered  protector  of  the 
Muses,  my  late  father,  and  my  mother,  who  was  so 
gifted  in  the  arts,  dedicated  on  that  day,  fifteen 
years  ago,  the  Anthropological  Museum.  This 
was  in  a  way  the  last  great  closing  act  which  my 
father  accomplished  in  this  direction,  and  I  look 
upon  it  as  a  special  piece  of  good  fortune  that  it  is 
on  precisely  this  day  of  the  year  that  the  works 
for  the  Siegesallee  could  be  completed. 

I  seize  with  joy  the  opportunity  to  express  to 
you  all,  first,  my  congratulations  and,  secondly, 
my  thanks  for  the  way  and  manner  in  which  you 
have  helped  me  to  carry  out  my  original  plan. 
The  accomplishment  of  the  programme  for  the  Sie- 
gesallee has  required  a  number  of  years,  and  it  was 
the  able  historiographer  of  my  house.  Professor 
Doctor  Koser,  who  put  me  in  a  position  to  as- 
sign to  the  gentlemen  the  tasks  which  it  was  pos- 
sible for  them  to  carry  out. 

Once  we  had  found  the  historical  basis,  it  was 
possible  to  go  ahead;  and  after  the  choice  of  the 
princes  was  decided  upon,  then  the  most  competent 
men  in  the  way  of  historical  research  were  found 
to  help  the  gentlemen  in  their  work.  In  this  way 
the  groups  were  conceived,  and,  conditioned  to  a  cer- 
tain degree  by  history,  they  gradually  took  form. 

194 


i9oi]  TRUE  ART 

After  this  part  of  the  work  was  done,  then, 
naturally,  came  the  hardest  question  of  all:  Would 
it  be  possible,  as  I  hoped,  to  find  enough  artists  in 
Berlin  who  would  be  in  a  position  to  give  them- 
selves entirely  to  the  execution  of  this  programme  ? 

I  had  in  mind  when  I  approached  the  solution 
of  this  problem,  if  I  were  successful,  to  show  to 
the  world  what  I  considered  to  be  the  most  ad- 
vantageous method  of  solving  an  artistic  question 
of  this  character.  The  best  way  to  go  about  it,  I 
believe,  consists  not  in  the  appointment  of  com- 
missions, not  in  the  establishment  of  all  possible 
kinds  of  prize  contests  and  competitions,  but  in 
following  the  old  established  method  which  they 
used  in  classical  times  and  also  later  in  the  Middle 
Ages.  In  this  way,  the  direct  intercourse  between 
the  employer  and  the  artist  offers  a  security  for 
the  favorable  shaping  of  the  work  and  for  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  the  task. 

I  am  especially  indebted  in  this  particular  to 
Professor  Rheinhold  Begas  in  that,  when  I  went 
to  him  with  these  thoughts,  he  made  it  clear  to  me 
without  further  ceremony  that  there  was  ab- 
solutely no  doubt  but  that  there  were  enough 
artists  of  all  kinds  in  Berlin  to  carry  out  such  an 
idea  without  difficulty.  With  his  help  and  on  the 
basis  of  friendships  formed  in  the  circle  of  sculp- 
tors here  through  visits  to  exhibitions  and  studios 

195 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

I  did,  indeed,  succeed  in  getting  together  a  staff 
with  which  to  proceed  in  carrying  out  this  task — 
a  staff  the  greater  part  of  which  I  see  gathered 
about  me  here  to-day. 

I  beheve  that  you  will  not  deny  that  I  have 
made  the  execution  of  the  programme  developed 
by  me  as  easy  as  possible  for  you.  I  have  placed 
the  task  before  you  and  limited  it  in  a  general 
way,  but  for  the  rest  I  have  given  you  absolute 
freedom,  not  only  freedom  in  the  combination 
and  composition  but  precisely  that  freedom  to 
put  into  it  a  certain  amount  of  yourselves — a 
thing  that  every  artist  must  do  in  order  to  put 
his  own  stamp  upon  his  work;  for  every  work  of 
art  contains  within  it  a  kernel  of  the  artist's  own 
character.  I  believe  that  this  experiment,  if  I 
may  call  it  so,  through  which  the  Siegesallee  was 
completed,   dare   be   looked   upon   as   a   success. 

Although  interviews  have  been  necessary  be- 
tween me  and  the  artists  who  were  carrying  out 
the  work  in  order  to  settle  every  doubt  and  to 
answer  every  question,  no  difficulties  of  a  more 
serious  nature  have  shown  themselves.  I  believe, 
therefore,  that  from  this  point  of  view  we  can 
look  back  upon  the  Siegesallee  with  general  satis- 
faction. You  have  individually  solved  your  prob- 
lems as  you  saw  fit,  and  I,  on  my  side,  have  the 
feeling  that  I  have  allowed  you  the  fullest  measure 

196 


i9oi]  TRUE  ART 

of  freedom  and  time — a  thing  I  hold  to  be  neces- 
sary for  the  artist.  I  have  never  gone  into  details 
and  have  contented  myself  with  giving  merely 
the  direction,  the  impulse. 

But  it  fills  me  with  pride  and  joy  to-day  when 
I  think  that  Berlin  stands  before  the  whole  world 
with  a  body  of  artists  who  are  capable  of  carrying 
out  such  a  magnificent  work.  It  proves  that  the 
Berlin  school  of  sculpture  stands  at  a  height  such 
as  could  hardly  have  been  surpassed  even  in  the 
time  of  the  Renaissance.  And  I  think  every  one 
of  you  will  agree,  without  jealousy,  that  the 
effective  example  of  Rheinhold  Begas  and  his 
conception,  based  upon  his  knowledge  of  the  an- 
tique, has  been  a  guide  to  many  of  you  in  the 
working  out  of  this  great  task. 

Here,  also,  we  could  draw  a  parallel  between  the 
great  achievements  in  the  art  of  the  Middle  Ages 
and  of  the  Italians;  since  in  that  time,  also,  the 
sovereign  and  art-loving  prince  who  offered  the 
commissions  to  the  artists  at  the  same  time  found 
the  masters,  about  whom  a  crowd  of  young  dis- 
ciples gathered,  so  that  a  certain  school  was  in 
this  way  developed  which  was  able  to  accomplish 
remarkable  things. 

Now,  gentlemen,  the  Pergamon  Museum  has 
also  been  opened  on  this  same  day,  in  Berlin. 
I  regard  that,  too,  as  a  very  important  portion  of 

197 


THE   GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

our  art  history  and  as  a  good  omen  and  a  happy 
coincidence.  A  more  magnificent  collection  cannot 
be  imagined  than  the  abundance  of  beauty  which  is 
displayed  in  these  rooms  before  the  eyes  of  the 
astonished  observer. 

But  how  does  art  stand  in  the  world  to-day  ^ 
It  takes  its  examples  and  creates  out  of  the  great 
sources  of  Mother  Nature;  and  Nature,  in  spite 
of  her  great,  apparently  boundless,  limitless  free- 
dom, acts  according  to  everlasting  laws  which  the 
Creator  has  set  for  Himself  and  which  can  never 
be  infringed  upon  or  overstepped  without  en- 
dangering the  development  of  the  world. 

It  is  the  same  in  art.  And  in  looking  upon  the 
magnificent  remains  from  the  old  classic  period 
we  experience  the  same  feeling.  Here,  too,  an 
eternal,  unchanging  law  rules;  the  law  of  beauty 
and  harmony — of  aesthetics.  This  law  was  ex- 
pressed by  the  ancients  in  so  surprising  and  power- 
ful a  manner  and  in  so  complete  a  form  that  we, 
for  all  our  modern  perceptions  and  our  power  of  ac- 
complishment, are  proud  if  it  can  be  said  of  some 
very  especially  good  piece  of  work:  "That  is  almost 
as  good  as  if  it  had  been  done  1900  years  ago." 

"Almost!"  Under  this  impression  I  shall  ask 
you  to  take  this  injunction  to  heart.  Sculpture 
has  for  the  most  part  remained  free  from  the  so- 
called  modern  tendencies  and  influences;    it  still 

198 


I901]  TRUE  ART 

stands  high  and  sublime.  Keep  it  so;  do  not  let 
yourselves  be  led  astray  by  the  judgment  of  men 
and  by  all  sorts  of  windy  doctrines  to  give  up 
these  great  principles  upon  which  it  is  based. 

An  art  which  oversteps  the  laws  and  boundaries 
which  I  have  indicated  is  no  longer  art;  it  is  fac- 
tory work,  it  is  trade;  and  that  no  art  dare  be- 
come. Through  the  much-misused  word  "free- 
dom" and  under  her  flag  one  often  falls  into 
indefiniteness,  boundlessness,  conceit.  However, 
he  who  cuts  loose  from  the  law  of  beauty  and 
from  the  feeling  for  aesthetics  and  harmony  which, 
whether  he  can  express  it  or  not,  every  man  feels 
in  his  heart;  he  who  thinks  the  chief  thing  is  to 
turn  his  thoughts  in  a  certain  direction  toward 
a  definite  solution  of  more  technical  problems,  sins 
against  the  very  sources  of  his  art. 

Furthermore,  art  must  help  to  educate  the  peo- 
ple; it  must  also  give  the  lower  classes,  after 
their  cramping  exertions,  the  opportunity  to  right 
themselves  again  through  ideals.  To  us,  the  Ger- 
man people,  great  ideals  are  a  lasting  possession, 
while  with  other  peoples  they  have  been  more  or 
less  lost.  It  is  now  the  German  people  whose 
special  province  it  is  to  protect  these  great  ideas, 
to  foster  them,  to  set  them  forth;  and  to  these 
ideas  belongs  the  duty  of  giving  to  those  classes 
who  tire  themselves  out  through  labor  the  op- 
portunity to  raise  themselves  through  beautiful 

199 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

things  and  to  work  themselves  out  of  and  above 
their  ordinary  circles  of  thought. 

If,  however,  art,  as  often  happens  nowadays, 
does  nothing  more  than  to  make  misery  even  more 
hideous  than  it  already  is,  then  it  sins  against  the 
German  people.  The  fostering  of  the  ideal  is  the 
greatest  work  of  culture;  and  if  we  wish  to  be  and 
to  remain  a  pattern  in  this  for  other  peoples,  then 
we  must  all  work  together;  and  if  culture  is  to 
accomplish  its  full  task,  then  it  must  penetrate 
through  to  the  very  lowest  strata  of  the  people. 
That  it  can  only  do  if  art  lends  a  hand,  if  it  raises 
up  instead  of  drawing  down  into  the  gutter. 

As  ruler,  I  often  feel  very  bitter  that  art,  through 
her  masters,  should  not  be  energetic  enough  to 
make  a  stand  against  such  tendencies.  I  do  not 
doubt  for  a  moment  but  that  many  an  earnest 
but  misguided  character,  perhaps  filled  with  the 
best  intentions,  is  to  be  found  among  the  devotees 
of  this  tendency.  The  real  artist  needs  no  ad- 
vertising, no  press,  no  connections.  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  your  great  examples  in  the  realm  of 
science,  either  in  ancient  Greece  or  in  Italy  or  in 
the  time  of  the  Renaissance,  used  any  such  methods 
as  are  now  often  practised  through  the  press  to 
bring  their  ideas  especially  into  the  foreground. 
They  worked  as  God  directed  them;  for  the  rest 
they  allowed  the  world  to  criticise. 

And  that  is  the  way  an  honorable,  sincere 
200 


i9oiJ       MONUMENT  TO  VON  ROSENBERG 

artist  must  act.  Art  which  stoops  to  advertising 
is  no  longer  art,  were  it  praised  to  the  skies.  Every 
one,  be  he  never  so  simple,  has  a  feeling  for  that 
which  is  beautiful  or  ugly,  and  it  is  to  foster  this 
feeling  further  among  the  people  that  I  have  need 
of  all  of  you;  and  that  you  should  have  accom- 
plished such  a  piece  of  work  in  the  Siegesallee, 
I,  therefore,  thank  you  particularly. 

I  may  now  confide  something  to  you.  The  im- 
pression which  the  Siegesallee  makes  upon  for- 
eigners is  quite  overwhelming;  everywhere  an 
immense  respect  for  German  sculpture  is  notice- 
able. May  you  remain  standing  upon  these 
heights;  may  also  my  children  and  my  grand- 
children, if  they  shall  one  day  be  granted  to  me, 
keep  the  same  masters  by  their  side!  Then,  I  am 
convinced,  our  people  will  be  in  a  position  to  love 
the  beautiful  and  to  hold  high  the  ideal. 

I  raise  my  glass  and  drink  to  the  health  of  all 
of  you;   and,  once  more,  my  heartiest  thanks. 


MONUMENT  TO  GENERAL  VON  ROSENBERG 

April  20,  1902 

A  monument  was  erected  to  the  famous  cavalry 
general  Von  Rosenberg,  in  Hanover.  After  the  un- 
veiling of  the  monument  the  Emperor  responded 
to  Count  von  Waldersee's  toast  as  follows: 

201 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [April 

To-day  I  greet  all  the  cavalry  of  the  German 
army.  Even  from  his  grave  the  general's  per- 
sonality has  issued  so  magic  and  so  powerful  an 
appeal  that  it  has  called  the  horsemen  together 
from  all  quarters  of  the  German  Empire  and  from 
the  contingents  of  my  affiliated  rulers,  so  that  to- 
day for  the  first  time  our  German  cavalry  is 
gathered  together  in  a  single  great  cohort. 

We  wish  to  draw  a  lesson  from  this  day.  As 
the  general  recognized  only  his  service  and  the 
call  of  duty,  may  we  do  likewise !  The  highest 
reward  that  can  come  to  an  officer  through  his 
service  in  life  is  to  fill  his  position  to  his  own  com- 
plete satisfaction.  Looking  back  over  the  life  of 
General  von  Rosenberg,  we  can  compose  a  proverb 
which  should  apply  to  us  also,  now  and  for  all 
time:  "Know  your  aim,  and  then  exert  every 
effort."    Let  that  be  the  standard  for  our  cavalry ! 

So  may  we  also  create  for  ourselves  from  this 
simple  monument  a  symbol  and  an  example.  A 
block  of  granite  from  the  mark  bears  the  features 
of  the  general  inlaid  in  bronze;  so  may  we  hedge 
and  protect  that  piece  of  granite  of  our  army 
which  we  call  the  cavalry  and  allow  it  to  harden, 
so  that  he  who  bites  upon  it  may  lose  his  teeth  !* 

*  A  phrase  of  Frederick  the  Great  which  Count  Biilow  had  used 
in  the  Reichstag  January  8,  1902,  in  speaking  of  the  EngUsh  Colonial 
Secretary  Chamberlain's  attack  on  the  German  army. 

202 


I902]  THE  OLD  ORDER  CHANGETH 

With  this  wish  I  raise  my  glass  and  drink  to  the 
memory  of  the  general,  to  the  German  cavalry,  and 
to  its  most  conspicuous  representative,  the  General 
Field-Marshal,  Count  von  Waldersee.     Hurrah ! 


THE  OLD  ORDER  CHANGETH 

Aix,  June  19,  1902 

The  Emperor,  accepting  an  invitation  from  the 
city,  came  to  Aix  with  the  Empress  and  the  Crown 
Prince.  It  was  here  that  Charlemagne  was  prob- 
ably born  and  here  that  he  died.  The  present 
Rathaus  was  built  upon  the  ruins  of  his  palace, 
and  it  was  in  the  so-called  Coronation  Room  that 
the  Emperor  delivered  his  address. 

In  the  name  of  her  Majesty,  the  Empress,  and 
in  my  name  I  thank  you  particularly  for  the  in- 
describably patriotic  and  enthusiastic  reception 
which  has  been  prepared  for  us  by  all  classes  of 
the  city  of  Aix.  I  earnestly  desired  to  visit  the 
city  of  Aix,  and  I  thank  you  for  the  opportunity 
which  you  have  given  me  through  your  invita- 
tion. 

Who  would  not  be  deeply  moved  on  such  his- 
toric ground  as  that  of  Aix  by  the  breath  and 
murmur  of  the  past  and  of  the  present?  Who 
would  not  think  of  the  providential  guidance  of 
Heaven  as  he  looks  back  over  the  history  of  the 

203 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

centuries  which  our  Fatherland  has  Hved  through 
in  its  connection  with  Aix? 

Aix  is  the  cradle  of  German  imperialism,  for  it 
was  here  that  Charlemagne  erected  his  throne, 
and  the  city  of  Aix  shone  in  his  reflected  glory. 
So  important,  so  imposing  was  the  figure  of  this 
great  German  prince  that  from  Rome  the  dignity 
of  the  Roman  Caesars  was  bestowed  upon  him, 
and  he  was  chosen  to  enter  into  the  inheritance 
of  the  Imperium  Romanum — certainly  a  splendid 
recognition  of  the  capability  of  our  German  stock 
as  it  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  history.  For 
the  Roman  sceptre  had  fallen  from  the  hands  of 
the  Caesars  and  their  successors.  Crumbling  and 
decayed,  the  Roman  edifice  was  tottering  to  its 
fall,  and  only  the  appearance  of  the  victorious 
Germans  with  their  virtuous  dispositions  made 
it  possible  to  point  a  new  and  as  yet  untrodden 
road  for  the  history  of  the  world.  It  goes  without 
saying  that  the  mighty  Charles,  the  great  King  of 
the  Franks,  drew  upon  himself  the  gaze  of  Rome 
which  looked  to  him  as  to  its  bulwark  and  pro- 
tector. 

But  the  task  of  combining  the  office  of  Roman 
Emperor  with  the  dignity  and  burden  of  the  Ger- 
man King  was  too  severe.  What  he  was  able  to 
accomplish  through  his  powerful  personality  Fate 
denied  to  his  followers;    and  through  their  desire 

204 


I902]  THE  OLD  ORDER  CHANGETH 

for  a  world-empire,  the  Emperors  of  the  later 
generations  lost  sight  of  the  German  people  and 
country.  They  turned  toward  the  south  in  order 
to  maintain  the  world-empire,  and  in  so  doing 
forgot  the  Germans.  So  gradually  our  German 
country  and  people  perished. 

Just  as  the  blossoming  aloe  gathers  up  all  the 
strength  of  the  plant  for  this  task  and,  striving 
upward,  develops  flower  on  flower  and  fascinates 
the  eye  of  the  astonished  beholder,  while  the  plant 
itself  withers  and  its  roots  shrivel  away,  so  it  was 
with  the  Roman  Empire  of  the  German  Nation. 

Another  empire  has  now  arisen.  The  German 
people  are  now  blessed  with  another  Emperor, 
whom  they  had  themselves  gone  out  to  seek. 
Sword  in  hand,  on  the  field  of  battle,  the  crown 
was  won,  and  the  flag  of  the  empire  flutters  high 
in  the  breeze  once  more.  With  the  same  en- 
thusiasm and  love  with  which  the  German  people 
held  to  the  imperial  idea  has  the  new  empire  en- 
tered into  being;  but  the  tasks  are  now  different. 
Limited  from  without  by  the  boundaries  of  our 
country,  it  became  our  duty  to  steel  ourselves 
from  within  in  preparation  for  the  duties  which 
were  then  laid  upon  our  people  and  which  could 
not  be  discharged  in  the  Middle  Ages. 

And  so  we  see  the  empire,  although  still  young, 
growing  strong  within  itself  from  year  to  year, 

205 


I 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

while  confidence  in  it  is  becoming  more  and  more 
secure  on  every  side.  The  powerful  German  army, 
however,  affords  a  support  to  the  peace  of  Europe. 
In  keeping  with  the  character  of  the  Germans,  we 
limit  ourselves  from  without  in  order  to  remain 
free  within.  Far  away  over  the  sea  our  speech  is 
spreading,  and  far  away  flows  the  stream  of  our 
knowledge  and  research.  There  is  no  work  in  the 
realm  of  later  research  which  is  not  written  in 
our  language,  and  no  thought  is  born  of  science 
which  is  not  first  utilized  by  us  in  order  later  to  be 
taken  over  by  other  nations.  And  this  is  that 
world-empire  which  the  German  spirit  strives  for. 
If  we,  then,  wish  to  discharge  adequately  our  fur- 
ther great  responsibilities,  we  dare  not  forget  that 
the  foundation  on  which  the  empire  was  built  is 
based  upon  simplicity  and  the  fear  of  God  as  well 
as  the  lofty  moral  conceptions  of  our  ancestors. 
Heavily,  indeed,  was  the  hand  of  our  God  laid  upon 
us  at  the  beginning  of  the  previous  century,  and 
mighty  was  the  arm  of  Providence  which  shaped 
the  steel  and  welded  it  in  the  furnace  of  misery 
until  the  weapon  was  finished. 

And  so  I  expect  of  you  all  that,  whether  church- 
men or  laymen,  you  will  help  me  to  maintain  re- 
ligion among  the  people.  We  must  work  together 
in  order  to  preserve  the  moral  foundations  and  the 
healthy  strength  of  the  German  stock.     But  that 

206 


I902]  THE  OLD  ORDER  CHANGETH 

can  only  be  done  if  we  preserve  its  religion,  and  this 
is  true  equally  of  Catholics  and  Protestants. 

I  am,  therefore,  the  more  pleased  to-day,  to 
bring  to  the  leaders  of  the  church  who  are  here 
represented  a  bit  of  news  of  which  I  am  proud 
to  be  the  bearer.  Beside  me  stands  General  von 
Loe,  a  faithful  servant  of  his  Kings.  He  was  sent 
to  Rome  to  the  jubilee  of  the  Holy  Father,  and 
when  he  delivered  to  him  my  gift  and  my  con- 
gratulations and  in  private  conversation  had  ex- 
plained how  things  stood  in  our  German  country 
the  Holy  Father  answered  him  that  he  was  happy 
to  be  able  to  say  that  he  had  always  thought 
highly  of  the  piety  of  the  Germans  and  of  the  Ger- 
man army;  he  said  he  could  even  go  further  and 
commissioned  General  von  Loe  to  report  the  fol- 
lowing to  his  Emperor:  The  German  Empire  is 
the  only*  country  in  Europe  in  which  training, 
order,  and  discipline  rule,  in  which  respect  for 
authority  and  reverence  for  the  church  exist,  and 
in  which  every  Catholic  can  live  freely  and  un- 
disturbed in  his  faith,  and  for  this  he  thanked  the 
German  Emperor. 

This,  gentlemen,  justifies  me  in  saying  that  both 
our  churches,  standing  side  by  side,  must  forever 
have  before  their  eyes  the  idea  of  strengthening 

*  The  word  "only"  has  not  received  official  sanction,  but  is  printed 
by  Penzler. 

207 


( 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

and  preserving  the  fear  of  God  and  respect  for 
religion.  The  fact  that  we  are  modern  men  and 
that  we  work  in  this  or  that  field  makes  no  dif- 
ference. Whoever  does  not  base  his  life  upon 
religion  is  lost. 

And  as  it  is  fitting  on  this  day  and  in  this  place 
not  merely  to  speak  but  also  to  make  a  pledge, 
I  hereby  express  my  vow  that  I  set  myself  and  my 
house,  the  entire  empire,  the  entire  people,  and  my 
army,  symbolically  represented  by  this  baton, 
under  the  cross  and  under  the  protection  of  Him 
of  whom  the  great  apostle  said,  "Neither  is  there 
salvation  in  any  other;  for  there  is  none  other 
name  under  heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we 
must  be  saved,''  and  who  has  said  of  Himself: 
*' Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  My  words 
shall  not  pass  away.'* 

I  drink  to  the  health  of  the  city  of  Aix  in  the 
firm  conviction  that  the  words  which  I  have 
spoken  will  here  fall  upon  good  ground,  just  as  I 
am  assured  from  what  I  have  seen  among  both  the 
older  and  younger  citizens  of  this  city  that  our 
house  and  our  throne  will  in  the  future  likewise 
find  firm  support  within  their  walls.  Long  five 
the  city  of  Aix ! 


208 


1902]  KRUPP  AND  THE  SOCIALISTS 

ALFRED  KRUPP  AND  THE  SOCIALISTS 

November  26,  1902 

The  present  speech  and  the  one  which  follows  it^ 
to  the  working  men  in  Breslau,  may  conveniently\ 
be  taken  together,  as  they  both  concern  the  Em- 
peror's attitude  toward  the  Socialists.  Of  all  his 
policies,  his  attempt  to  destroy  this  political  party 
has  been  least  successful.  It  had  increased  from 
763,000  in  1887  to  4,250,000  in  1912,  when  it 
numbered  more  than  twice  as  many  voters  as  its 
nearest  competitor,  the  Centre  party,  1,996,000. 
The  Emperor  had  tried  to  introduce  repeatedly 
subversion  acts  which  would  have  made  for  the 
persecution  of  this  the  largest  political  party  in 
his  empire.  When,  on  October  13,  1895,  a  manu- 
facturer was  murdered  in  Miilhausen  by  a  work- 
man who  had  been  repeatedly  convicted  of  theft, 
WilHam  II  telegraphed  to  his  widow:  "Another 
sacrifice  to  the  revolutionary  movement  engen- 
dered by  the  SociaHsts."  This  hostile  attitude 
was  unavailing  and  aroused  the  criticism  of  the 
greatest  German  historian,  Mommsen : 

"It  is  unfortunately  true  that  at  the  present 
time  the  Social  Democracy  is  the  only  great  party 
which  has  any  claim  to  political  respect.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  refer  to  talent.  Everybody  in 
Germany  knows  that  with  brains  Hke  those  of 
Bebel  it  would  be  possible  to  furnish  forth  a 
dozen  noblemen  from  east  of  the  Elbe  in  a  fashion 
that  would  make  them  shine  among  their  peers. 

"The  devotion,  the  self-sacrificing  spirit  of  the 
209 


I 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

Social  Democratic  masses,  impresses  even  those 
who  are  far  from  sharing  their  aims.  Our  Liberals 
might  well  take  a  lesson  from  the  discipline  of 
the  party."  And  again,  only  about  a  week  after 
this  speech  of  the  Emperor's  Mommsen  wrote: 

** There  must  be  an  end  of  the  superstition,  as 
false  as  it  is  perfidious,  that  the  nation  is  divided 
into  parties  of  law  and  order  on  the  one  hand 
and  a  party  of  revolution  on  the  other,  and  that 
it  is  the  prime  poHtical  duty  of  citizens  belonging 
to  the  former  category  to  shun  the  labor  party  as 
if  it  were  in  quarantine  for  the  plague  and  to 
combat  it  as  the  enemy  of  the  state." 

The  Emperor  has  had  many  friends  among  the 
leaders  in  the  industrial  world.  Alfred  Krupp 
had  stood  in  close  relation  to  his  sovereign  and 
had  been  one  of  the  founders  and  prime  movers 
in  the  German  Navy  League,  which,  more  than 
anything  else,  had  made  possible  the  realization 
of  the  imperial  naval  policy.  The  Emperor  is 
altogether  mistaken  in  ascribing  the  stories  cir- 
culated about  Krupp  to  the  malignity  of  Social 
Democratic  editors.  Very  ugly  rumors,  whether 
true  or  false,  had  long  before  this  time  circulated 
about  this  industrial  leader;  they  could  have  been 
heard  in  other  countries  of  Europe,  especially  in 
Italy,  and  most  particularly  in  Tiberius's  island 
of  Capri,  where  he  is  said  to  have  had  a  villa. 

The  address  was  delivered  in  the  waiting-room 
of  the  station  at  Essen  on  the  day  of  Krupp's 
funeral. 


210 


I9021  KRUPP  AND  THE  SOCIALISTS 

I  feel  the  need  of  expressing  to  you  how  deeply 
my  heart  is  moved  by  the  death  of  this  man.  Her 
Majesty,  the  Empress  and  Queen,  wishes  me  to 
express  to  you  her  grief  also,  and  she  has  already 
expressed  it  in  writing  to  Frau  Krupp.  I  have 
often,  with  my  wife,  been  a  guest  in  the  Krupp 
house  and  have  felt  the  charm  of  his  lovable 
personality.  Our  relations  have  become  so  well 
established  in  the  course  of  the  years  that  I  dare 
call  myself  a  friend  of  the  deceased  and  of  his 
house.  On  this  account  I  have  not  wished  to 
deny  myself  the  privilege  of  appearing  here  to-day 
at  his  funeral,  and  I  hold  it  to  be  my  duty  to  stand 
at  the  side  of  the  widow  and  daughters  of  my 
friend. 

The  peculiar  circumstances  which  accompanied 
the  sad  event  also  make  it  incumbent  upon  me 
to  be  here  as  the  head  of  the  German  Empire,  to 
hold  the  shield  of  the  German  Emperor  over  the 
house  and  the  memory  of  this  man.  Whoever 
knew  the  deceased  intimately  knows  with  what 
a  sensitive  and  delicate  nature  he  was  endowed 
and  that  this  was  the  one  vulnerable  point  through 
which  to  deal  him  a  death-blow.  He  was  the 
victim  of  his  unimpeachable  integrity. 

An  event  has  occurred  within  the  German  coun- 
tries so  degrading  and  low  that  it  has  aroused  all 
hearts  and  must  bring  the  blush  of  shame  to  the 

211 


I 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

cheeks  of  every  German  patriot,  because  of  the 
disgrace  brought  upon  our  entire  people.  The 
honor  of  a  man,  German  to  the  core,  who  lived 
only  for  others,  who  had  in  his  mind  only  the  wel- 
fare of  the  Fatherland,  but  above  all  that  of  his 
employees,  has  been  assailed. 

This  deed,  with  its  consequences,  is  nothing  less 
than  murder;  for  there  is  no  difference  between 
him  who  mixes  a  poisonous  drink  and  offers  it  to 
another  and  him  who  from  the  safe  ambush  of 
his  editor's  office  destroys  the  honorable  name  of  a 
fellow  man  with  the  poisoned  arrows  of  his  slanders 
and  kills  him  through  the  torment  of  soul  caused 
by  them. 

Who  was  it  that  began  this  shameful  attack 
upon  our  friend  .?  Men  who  up  to  the  present 
have  been  counted  as  Germans,  but  who  are  now 
unworthy  of  this  name,  who  sprang  from  the 
classes  of  the  German  working  people,  who  have 
such  a  tremendous  amount  to  thank  Krupp  for 
and  of  whom  thousands  in  the  streets  with  tearful 
faces  waved  a  last  farewell  to  the  bier  of  their 
benefactor. 

You,  Krupp's  workmen,  have  ever  held  faith- 
fully to  your  employer  and  have  clung  to  him; 
gratitude  is  not  wiped  out  of  your  hearts.  With 
pride  I  have  seen  everywhere  abroad  the  name 
of  the  Fatherland  honored  through  the  work  of 

212 


I902]       THE  WORKING  MAN  ONCE  MORE 

your  hands.  Men  who  wish  to  be  the  leaders  of 
the  German  workmen  have  robbed  you  of  your 
dear  master.  It  remains  for  you  to  shield  and 
protect  him  and  to  preserve  his  memory  from  dis- 
grace. 

I  trust,  therefore,  that  you  will  find  the  proper 
means  of  making  it  clear  to  the  body  of  German 
working  men  that  it  is  important  hereafter  to 
make  it  impossible  for  good  and  honorable  working 
men  to  have  any  community  of  interest  or  close 
relationship  with  the  perpetrators  of  this  shameful 
deed;  for  it  is  the  honor  of  the  working  man  that 
has  been  besmirched.  Whoever  will  sit  at  the 
same  table  with  these  people  deliberately  lays 
himself  open  to  a  charge  of  moral  participation 
in  the  crime. 

I  have  sufficient  confidence  in  the  German 
laborers  to  believe  that  they  are  conscious  of  the 
extreme  seriousness  of  the  present  moment  and 
that,  as  German  men,  they  will  find  a  solution  for 
this  difficult  question. 


THE  WORKING  MAN  ONCE  MORE 

Breslau,  December  5,  1902 

That  the  working  men  of  Breslau  have  decided 
to  come  to  me,  their  King  and  father,  fills  me 
with  the  greatest  satisfaction,   for  two  reasons. 

213 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Dec. 

In  the  first  place,  you  have  not  disappointed  the 
expectations  which  I  expressed  in  Essen;  in  the 
second,  you  have  helped  thereby  to  maintain  free 
from  reproach  the  memory  of  my  late  friend 
Krupp. 

From  my  heart  I  thank  the  spokesman  for  his 
cordial,  patriotic  words.  You  show  thereby  that 
an  honorable  attitude  and  a  dependence  upon  the 
King  and  the  Fatherland  are  taking  firm  root 
among  you.  Your  condition  has  indeed  become 
the  object  of  my  deepest  interest  and  considera- 
tion, for  I  observed  with  pride  in  foreign  lands 
how  the  German  working  man  was  considered 
above  all  others,  and  with  justice.  Your  hearts 
may  exult  and  you  may  well  rejoice  in  your  work 
and  your  condition. 

Led  by  the  remarkable  message*  of  the  great 
Emperor  William  I,  I  have  improved  the  social 
legislation  so  that  a  good  and  secure  condition  of 
existence  has  been  created  for  the  working  men 
through  old  age,  and  this  has  been  accomplished 
often  at  great  sacrifice  to  the  employer.  And  our 
Germany  is  the  only  country  in  which  legislation 
relating  to  the  welfare  of  the  working  classes  has 
developed  to  any  great  degree. 

On  the  ground  of  the  great  concern  which  your 
King  has   for  your  condition   I   am  justified   in 

*  See  footnote  to  "  First  Declaration  of  Policy,"  June  25,  1888. 
214 


I902]       THE  WORKING  MAN  ONCE  MORE 

giving  you  also  a  word  of  warning.  For  years  you 
and  your  brothers  have  allowed  yourselves  to  be 
deluded  by  the  agitators  of  the  Socialists  into 
thinking  that  if  you  do  not  belong  to  this  party 
and  acknowledge  it  no  one  pays  any  attention  to 
you  and  that  you  will  not  be  in  a  position  to  obtain 
a  hearing  for  your  just  interests  in  the  amelioration 
of  your  condition. 

This  is  a  gross  lie  and  a  serious  error.  Instead 
of  representing  you  directly,  the  agitators  seek 
to  stir  you  up  against  your  employers,  against  the 
other  classes,  against  the  throne,  and  against  the 
church,  and  have  in  this  way  taken  advantage  of 
you,  terrorized  you,  and  flattered  you  in  order  to 
strengthen  their  own  power.  And  to  what  end  is 
this  power  used  I  Not  for  furthering  your  welfare, 
but  for  sowing  hatred  between  the  classes  and  for 
disseminating  cowardly  slanders  that  respect 
nothing  as  sacred;  and  finally  they  have  outraged 
the  Almighty  Himself. 

As  honor-loving  men  you  cannot  and  dare  not 
have  anything  more  to  do  with  such  people,  and 
you  must  no  longer  be  led  by  them.  No !  Send 
us  as  representatives  your  friends  and  comrades 
from  your  own  ranks,  the  simple,  plain  man  from 
the  shop  who  has  your  confidence.  Such  a  man 
stands  for  your  interests  and  your  wishes,  and  we 
will  gladly  welcome  him  as  the  representative  of 

215 


I 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

the  German  working  classes,  not  as  a  Social  Demo- 
crat. With  such  representatives  of  the  working 
classes,  no  matter  how  many  there  may  be,  we 
will  gladly  work  together  for  the  good  of  the 
people  and  of  the  country. 

In  this  way  your  future  will  be  well  cared  for, 
especially  since  it  naturally  and  closely  depends 
upon  loyalty  to  the  King,  upon  respect  for  law  and 
for  the  state,  for  the  honor  of  one's  fellow  men  and 
brothers,  true  to  the  proverb:  "Fear  God,  love 
your  brothers,  and  honor  the  King." 


SCHOLARSHIP  AND  RELIGION 

Berlin,  February  15,  1903 

As  a  result  of  a  lecture  before  the  Oriental 
Society  of  Berlin,  a  very  serious  controversy  arose 
in  religious  circles  in  Germany.  The  Emperor 
gave  his  opinion  in  the  following  open  letter,  which 
was  printed  in  the  Grenzboten.  It  is  said  that  this 
very  significant  letter  shows  the  influence  of  the 
court  chaplain.  Doctor  Dryander.  Certain  of  the 
ideas  are,  however,  thoroughly  characteristic  of 
the  Emperor. 

My  Dear  Hollmann: 

My  telegram  to  you  must  have  removed  the 
doubts  which  you  still  entertained  regarding  the 
conclusion  of  the  lecture.    It  was  perfectly  clearly 

216 


1903]  SCHOLARSHIP  AND  RELIGION 

understood  by  the  audience  and  therefore  had  to 
stand  as  it  does;  but  I  am  very  pleased  that 
through  your  inquiry  the  matter  of  this  second 
lecture  was  again  taken  up,  and  I  am  glad  to  take 
this  occasion,  after  reading  through  the  section 
again,  to  present  my  position  in  a  clear  light. 
During  an  evening  meeting  among  ourselves  Pro- 
fessor Delitzsch  had  the  opportunity,  with  her  Maj- 
esty, the  Empress,  and  General  Superintendent 
Dryander,  to  confer  and  discuss  thoroughly  for 
several  hours,  during  which  I  remained  a  passive 
listener.  He,  unfortunately,  departed  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  thoroughgoing  historian  and 
Assyriologist  and  penetrated  into  the  region  of 
theological  and  religious  conclusions  and  hy- 
potheses, which  were  hazy  and  bold.  When, 
however,  he  came  to  the  New  Testament  it  soon 
became  evident  that  I  could  not  agree  with  him 
in  the  ideas  which  he  developed  concerning  the 
person  of  the  Redeemer,  and  I  was  compelled  to 
state  my  own  standpoint,  which  was  diametrically 
opposed  to  his.  He  does  not  recognize  the  divinity 
of  Christ  and  therefore  concludes  in  regard  to  the 
Old  Testament  that  it  does  not  refer  to  Him  as 
the  Messiah.  Here  the  Assyriologist  and  investi- 
gating historian  ceases  and  the  theologian  with 
all  his  lights  and  shades  steps  in.  In  this  province 
I  can  only  advise  him  to  go  very  carefully,  step  by 

217 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

step,  and  in  any  case  to  ventilate  his  theories  only 
in  theological  publications  and  in  the  circles  of 
his  colleagues  and  to  spare  us  laymen  and  espe- 
cially the  Oriental  Society,  before  whose  forum  all 
this  is  out  of  place.  We  excavate  and  read  what- 
ever we  find  and  publish  it  for  the  advancement  of 
knowledge  and  history,  but  not  in  order  to  help 
justify  or  combat  the  religious  hypotheses  of  any 
one  of  many  learned  men. 

In  Delitzsch's  case  the  theologian  has  run  away 
with  the  historian,  and  the  latter  serves  merely 
as  a  point  of  departure  for  the  former.  I  think  it 
unfortunate  that  Delitzsch  should  not  have  stuck 
to  his  original  programme,  which  he  developed 
in  former  years,  namely,  on  the  basis  of  the  dis- 
coveries of  our  society,  to  ascertain  through  scien- 
tifically approved  translations  of  the  Scriptures 
how  far  these  offer  an  illustration  of  the  chron- 
icle of  the  people  of  Israel;  that  is,  enlightenment 
as  to  historical  events,  customs,  and  uses,  tradi- 
tions, politics,  legislation,  etc.;  in  other  words,  how 
far  the  undeniably  highly  developed  Babylonian 
culture  came  into  contact  with  the  Israelites,  could 
work  upon  them,  yes,  even  impress  its  stamp 
upon  them,  and  thereby  accomplish,  from  a  purely 
human  point  of  view,  a  sort  of  rehabihtation 
for  the  Babylonians,  who  were,  according  to  the 
Old  Testament  at  least,  a  very  crude,  shameful, 

218 


1903]  SCHOLARSHIP  AND  RELIGION 

and  one-sided  people.  That  was  his  original  in- 
tention, at  least  as  I  understood  it,  and  a  province 
very  fruitful  and  interesting  to  us  all,  the  investi- 
gation, explanation,  and  exposition  of  which  must 
have  interested  us  laymen  to  the  highest  degree 
and  would  have  demanded  our  deepest  gratitude. 
But  he  should  have  stuck  to  this.  Unfortunately, 
however,  in  his  zeal  he  has  overshot  the  mark. 
As  was  to  be  expected,  the  excavations  brought 
to  light  communications  which  bear  in  a  religious 
way  upon  the  Old  Testament.  He  should  have 
collated  this  material  and  pointed  out  and  ex- 
plained coincidences,  when  such  occurred,  but  he 
should  have  left  it  to  the  listener  to  draw  for 
himself  all  purely  religious  conclusions.  In  this 
way  his  discourse  would  have  commanded  the 
interest  and  good-will  of  the  lay  pubHc.  That, 
unfortunately,  he  has  not  done.  Pretending  that 
he  could  explain  it  all  on  historical  and  purely 
human  grounds,  he  has  attacked  the  question  of 
revelation  in  a  very  polemical  manner  and  more 
or  less  denied  it.  That  was  a  serious  mistake, 
because  he  touched  many  of  his  hearers  in  what 
was  deepest  and  most  sacred  to  them.  And 
whether  he  was  right  or  wrong — that  for  the  mo- 
ment is  all  one,  since  we  are  concerned  not  with 
a  purely  scientific  gathering  of  theologians  but 
with  laymen  of  all  kinds  and  conditions — he  has 

219 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

overturned  and  rudely  shaken  many  favorite  con- 
ceptions and  images  with  which  these  people 
connect  sacred  and  cherished  ideas  and  has  ruth- 
lessly shaken  the  foundation  of  their  belief,  if  he 
has  not  swept  it  away  altogether,  a  thing  which 
only  a  mighty  genius  dare  be  bold  enough  to 
undertake  and  which  the  study  of  Assyriology 
alone  does  not  justify.  Goethe  also  once  treated 
this  subject  and  pointed  out  especially  that  one 
must  be  careful  before  a  great,  general  public 
to  break  down  only  "  Terminologiepagoden'  [the 
pagodas  of  terminology].  The  excellent  professor, 
in  his  zeal,  has  overlooked  the  principle  that  it  is 
very  necessary  to  distinguish  between  what  is 
and  what  is  not  fitting  to  the  place,  the  public, 
etc.  As  a  theological  specialist  he  can,  through 
the  avenue  of  special  publications,  express  for  his 
circle  of  colleagues  his  theses,  hypotheses,  and 
theories  as  well  as  his  convictions,  which  it 
would  not  do  to  express  in  a  popular  lecture  or 
book. 

I  would  like  now  to  come  back  once  more  to  my 
own  personal  standpoint  in  regard  to  the  doctrine 
or  view  of  revelation,  as  I  have  often  explained  it 
to  you,  my  dear  Hollmann,  and  to  other  gentle- 
men. I  distinguish  between  two  different  kinds  of 
revelation:  one  a  continuous  and  in  a  manner 
historical  revelation;   the  other  a  purely  rehgious 

220 


1903]  SCHOLARSHIP  AND  RELIGION 

one,   preparing   for  the  later  appearance  of  the 
Messiah. 

In  the  first  place,  let  me  say,  there  is  not  the 
slightest  doubt  in  my  mind  but  that  God  reveals 
Himself,  always  and  permanently,  through  the 
human  race  which  He  created.  He  has  "blown 
the  breath  of  His  nostrils"  into  man;  that  is.  He 
has  given  him  a  piece  of  Himself — a  soul.  With 
fatherly  love  and  interest  He  follows  the  develop- 
ment of  mankind;  in  order  to  lead  and  advance 
it  further,  He  "reveals"  Himself  in  this  or  that 
great  sage  or  priest  or  king,  be  he  heathen,  Jew, 
or  Christian.  Hammurabi  was  one,  so  were  Moses, 
Abraham,  Homer,  Charlemagne,  Luther,  Shake- 
speare, Goethe,  Kant,  Emperor  William  the 
Great.  These  He  has  sought  out  and  made  wor- 
thy, through  His  grace,  to  accomplish  according  to 
His  will  splendid  and  imperishable  deeds  for  their 
people  in  the  spiritual  as  well  as  in  the  physical 
world.  How  often  has  my  grandfather  expressly 
said  that  he  was  only  an  instrument  in  the  hand 
of  the  Lord.  The  works  of  great  spirits  are  given 
to  the  people  by  God  in  order  that  they  may 
imitate  them  and  feel  their  way  further  through 
the  intricacies  of  the  unexplored  regions  of  this 
Hfe.  Certainly  God  has  "revealed"  Himself  in 
different  ways  at  different  times,  according  to  the 
condition  and  culture  of  the  people,  and  still  does 

221 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

so  to-day.  For,  as  we  are  overcome  by  the  great- 
ness and  power  of  the  magnificent  nature  of  crea- 
tion and  are  astounded  to  see  in  it  the  revealed 
greatness  of  God,  so,  just  as  surely,  do  we  thank- 
fully recognize  in  every  really  great  and  splendid 
thing  which  a  man  or  a  god  does  the  splendor 
of  the  revelation  of  God.  He  works  directly  upon 
and  among  us ! 

The  second  kind  of  revelation,  the  more  relig- 
ious, is  that  which  relates  to  the  coming  of  our 
Lord.  From  the  time  of  Abraham  on  it  is  intro- 
duced slowly  but  prophetically — the  coming  of 
the  All- wise,  the  All-knowing;  for  mankind  would 
otherwise  have  been  lost.  And  now  begins  the 
most  wonderful  phenomenon  of  all,  the  revelation 
of  God.  The  seed  of  Abraham  and  the  people  who 
developed  from  it  regard  as  the  most  sacred  thing 
in  the  world  a  rigorous  belief  in  a  single  God. 
They  must  cherish  it — .  Separated  during  the 
Egyptian  exile,  the  scattered  portions,  welded  to- 
gether a  second  time  by  Moses,  strove  ever  to 
hold  fast  to  their  belief  in  a  single  God.  It  was 
the  direct  working  of  God  upon  these  people 
which  allowed  them  to  rise  again.  And  so  it 
continues  further  down  the  centuries  until  the 
Messiah,  who  was  announced  and  foretold  by 
the  prophets  and  psalmists,  finally  appears.  The 
greatest  revelation  of  God  in  the  world  !    For  He 

222 


1903]  SCHOLARSHIP  AND  RELIGION 

appeared  in  the  person  of  His  Son;  Christ  is  God; 
God  in  human  form.  He  redeemed  us,  He  in- 
spires us,  He  draws  us  on  to  follow  Him,  we  feel 
His  fire  burning  within  us.  His  pity  strengthens 
us,  His  dissatisfaction  destroys  us,  but  His  inter- 
cession saves  us.  Sure  of  victory,  building  only 
upon  His  Word,  we  go  through  work,  scorn,  sor- 
row, misery,  and  death,  for  we  have  in  Him  the 
revealed  Word  of  God  and  He  never  deceives. 

That  is  the  way  I  look  at  these  questions.  The 
Word  of  God  has,  through  Luther,  become  every- 
thing, especially  for  us  Evangelicals;  and  as  a  good 
theologian  Delitzsch  should  not  have  forgotten 
that  our  great  Luther  taught  us  to  sing  and  to 
believe:  "Ye  shall  let  the  Word  stand  !"  Forme 
it  goes  without  saying  that  the  Old  Testament 
contains  a  great  number  of  extracts  which  are  of 
purely  human  origin  and  not  "the  revealed  Word 
of  God."  There  are  purely  historical  descriptions 
of  events  of  all  kinds  which  took  place  in  the  life 
of  the  people  of  Israel  in  the  realm  of  political, 
religious,  moral,  and  spiritual  matters.  So,  for 
instance,  the  giving  of  the  law  on  Mount  Sinai 
may  be  looked  upon  as  inspired  by  God  in  only  a 
symbolical  sense;  for  Moses  was  compelled  to 
have  recourse  to  some  means  of  giving  new  force 
to  old  and  well-known  portions  of  the  law  (which 
were  probably  derived  from  the  Codex  of  Ham- 

223 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

murabi).  Otherwise  he  might  not  have  been  able 
to  unite  and  weld  together  a  people  whose  or- 
ganization had  become  lax  and  incapable  of  re- 
sistance. Here  the  historian  can  perhaps  construe 
from  the  sense  and  the  run  of  the  words  some  re- 
lation to  the  laws  of  Hammurabi,  the  friend  of 
Abraham,  which  would  perhaps  be  perfectly 
logical;  that  would,  however,  in  no  way  detract 
from  the  fact  that  God  inspired  Moses  to  do  it 
and  in  so  far  revealed  Himself  to  the  people  of 
Israel. 

As  I  see  it,  therefore,  our  good  professor  ought 
hereafter  to  avoid  handling  and  bringing  forward 
religion,  as  such,  in  his  addresses  to  our  society. 
On  the  other  hand,  he  may  continue  unmolested 
to  bring  forward  whatever  connections  there  may 
be  between  the  religion,  customs,  etc.,  of  the 
Babylonians,  etc.,  and  the  Old  Testament.  From 
which  I  derive  the  following  conclusions: 

(a)  I  believe  in  one  God,  and  one  only. 

(b)  In  order  to  teach  this  we  need  a  form,  espe- 
cially for  our  children. 

(c)  This  form  has  been  up  to  the  present  time 
the  Old  Testament  in  its  present  state.  Through 
investigation,  inscriptions,  and  excavations,  this 
form  will  certainly  change  materially;  that  does 
not  matter,  and  even  the  fact  that  much  will  be 
lost  from  the  nimbus  of  the  chosen  people  does  not 

224 


1903]  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT 

matter.    The  kernel  and  the  content  remain  ever 
the  same:  God  and  His  work! 

ReHgion  was  never  the  result  of  science  but  the 
outpouring  of  the  heart  and  being  of  man  in  his 
intercourse  with  God. 

With    heartiest    thanks    and    many    greetings, 

Your  true  friend, 
(Signed)     William,  I.  R. 

P.  S.     You  may  make  the  fullest  use  of  thes 
lines;    whoever  wants  to  may  read  them. 

FREDERICK  THE  GREAT  AND  HIS  ARMy 

DoBERiTZ,  May  29,  1903 

After  conducting  the  manoeuvres  of  the  guard 
the  Emperor  dedicated  the  obelisk  to  Frederick 
the  Great.  The  character  and  achievements  of 
Frederick  have  been  summarized  in  chapter  I. 

One  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  on  these  same 
fields,  his  Majesty,  Frederick  II,  who  even  in 
his  lifetime  was  called  "the  Great,"  gathered  to- 
gether a  considerable  part  of  his  army  in  order  to 
train  and  steel  it  for  the  mighty  struggles  which 
he  foresaw  in  spirit  through  his  prophetic  vision. 
So  important  was  this  preparation  for  him  that 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  trust  his  columns  to  the 
direction  of  his  experienced  field-marshals.  Here 
the   great    soldier    King,  working    restlessly,  not 

225 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [May 

overlooking  details  in  his  interest  for  the  greater 
concerns  of  history,  trained  his  regiments  for  the 
difficult  tasks  of  the  Seven  Years'  War,  which  was 
soon  to  set  in,  and  created  that  inner  bond  be- 
tween himself  and  his  soldiers  which  inspired 
them  to  the  greatest  deeds  of  daring,  while  he 
infused  his  spirit  into  his  generals  and  so  laid  the 
foundation  for  the  unmatched  results  which  found 
their  crowning  achievement  in  the  victorious  over- 
throw of  a  world  in  arms  united  against  him.  Let 
these  achievements  be  unforgotten;  unforgotten 
the  names  of  the  heroes  of  that  great  time. 

Frederick's  enemies  derisively  called  his  little 
army  the  ''Pots darner  Wachtparade^^  [the  "  Potsdam 
Guard's  Parade"] !  Well,  he  showed  them  what 
he  could  do  at  the  head  of  it !  And  in  later  times 
likewise  the  "Potsdam  Guard's  Parade"  fittingly 
showed  the  way  to  every  one  who  tried  to  cultivate 
too  close  an  acquaintance  with  it.  This  obelisk 
of  northern  granite  is  erected  in  memory  of  that 
time.  A  memorial  to  **Fredericus  Rex,  the  King 
and  Hero,"  to  be  emulated  by  us  all  in  working 
with  unabated  strength  to  the  end  that  we  may 
be  ready  to  strike  in  any  emergency.  When  in  a 
moment  the  curtain  shall  fall,  when  the  flags  and 
standards  dip  in  greeting,  swords  are  lowered,  and 
presented  bayonets  glisten — all  this  is  done  in 
honor  not  only  of  this  block  of  stone  but  of  him, 

226 


1903]  THE  FUTURE  OF  GERMANY 

the  great  King,  his  generals  and  field-marshals; 
of  his  great  successor,  WiUiam  the  Great,  and  his 
paladins,  who  now,  assembled  around  the  Great 
Ally  above,  look  down  upon  us;  and  in  honor  of 
Prussia's  glorious  martial  history  and  tradition. 
Attention,  present  arms ! 

THE  FUTURE  OF  GERMANY 

Hamburg,  June  20,  1903 

The  equestrian  statue  of  Emperor  William  I 
was  dedicated  in  Hamburg,  June  20,  1903.  The 
Emperor's  interest  in  glorifying  and  occasionally 
even  in  sanctifying  his  ancestors  is  frequently 
noticeable.  He  has  tried  to  assure  to  his  grand- 
father the  title  of  William  the  Great,  and  the 
Emperor's  friend  Ballin,  of  the  Hamburg-American 
Line,  has -given  this  title  as  well  as  that  of  Impera- 
tor  to  the  well-known  transatlantic  steamers.  It 
is  perhaps  significant  that  Bismarck  is  not  men- 
tioned. The  pedestal  of  this  monument  was  left 
blank.  As  has  been  noted,  rumor  has  it  that  the 
citizens  of  Hamburg  were  unwilling  to  bestow 
this  title  and  feared  to  offend  with  the  simpler 
"WilUam  I." 

It  has  often  been  my  task  to  express  my  thanks 
to  great  cities  and  their  enthusiastic  citizens; 
never  have  I  found  it  so  difficult  to  find  the  correct, 
pertinent,  and  adequate  expression  for  what  I  feel 
and  what  I  have  seen  and  experienced. 

227 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

If,  first  of  all,  I  may  speak  as  grandson  of  the 
great  Emperor,  whose  bronze  likeness  the  city  of 
Hamburg  has  just  unveiled,  I  would  Hke  to  give 
utterance  to  the  gratitude  which  so  stirs  my  heart, 
that  the  citizens  of  Hamburg  have  been  able  in 
such  a  brilliant,  handsome,  and  noble  manner  to 
show  their  feeling  for  Germany  and  their  gratitude 
to  the  old  hero.  As  his  grandson,  this  has  pleased 
me  greatly  and  has  stirred  me  deeply. 

For  the  rest,  I  cannot  forbear  to  emphasize  the 
truly  overwhelming  reception  which  was  accorded 
me  here  by  great  and  small,  young  and  old,  high 
and  low.  The  many  thousand  faces  which  lighted 
toward  me  to-day  gave  evidence  that  the  greeting 
came  from  the  heart  and  from  feelings  which  were 
deeply  moved,  and  I  beg  the  senate  and  the 
citizens  to  accept  my  heartiest,  sincerest,  and 
warmest  thanks  and  to  communicate  them  to 
the  city. 

Indeed,  for  the  younger  generation  which  stood 
with  us  about  the  bronze  portrait  to-day  the 
great  Emperor  is  already  a  historical  personage, 
and  the  events  which  weave  themselves  about  his 
person  and  the  time  in  which  he  worked  are  al- 
ready described  in  history. 

I  believe  that  I  am  not  presuming  if  I  prophesy 
that  some  time  in  future  centuries  the  awe-in- 
spiring figure  of  my  grandfather  will  stand  forth 

228 


1903]  THE  FUTURE  OF  GERMANY 

before  the  German  people,  surrounded  by  at  least 
as  many  legends  and  as  powerful  and  as  conspicu- 
ous for  all  time  as  once  the  figure  of  the  Emperor 
Barbarossa  was.  Truly,  the  younger  generation 
IS  accustomed  to  look  upon  what  we  call  the  em- 
pire, together  with  what  it  has  brought  us,  without 
thinking  what  it  has  cost  to  arrive  at  this  point. 
And  I  believe  we  recognize  the  hand  of  Provi- 
dence when  we  look  upon  that  awe-inspiring 
figure  which  stands  yonder  in  its  peaceful  attitude 
before  the  Rathaus,  with  its  earnestness  and  its 
silent  tranquillity  of  old  age.  It  was  precisely, 
this  man  whom  Providence  sought  out  to  ac- 
comphsh  this  hardest  of  all  tasks — the  uniting  of 
the  German  races.  For  no  one  could  resist  the 
charm  of  the  personality,  the  simple  modesty, 
the  winning  lovableness  of  the  lofty  ruler;  and 
so  it  was  permitted  to  him,  surrounded  by  his 
powerful  paladins  who  were  devoted  to  him  and 
who  worked  with  him,  to  smooth  the  way  and 
reconcile  the  differences;  while  he  kept  ever  before 
his  eyes  the  goal,  the  union  of  the  Fatherland. 
During  a  long  time  of  peace,  in  quiet  work  his 
thoughts  ripened  and  the  plans  of  the  already 
gray-haired  man  were  ready  when  the  mighty 
task  came  to  him  of  once  more  reviving  the 
empire.  I  hope  that  the  youth  of  Hamburg,  when 
they  pass  this  monument,  will  never  forget  the 

229 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

time  of  preparation  through  which  this  noble  ruler 
lived. 

With  justice  you  speak  of  the  time  of  Em- 
peror William  as  great  and  powerful — powerful 
in  its  impulses,  mighty  in  its  flaming  enthusiasm. 
Gentlemen,  I  think  that  our  time  is  also  great. 
The  tasks  which  were  assigned  to  the  great  Em- 
peror have  been  accomplished;  yet  when  things 
for  a  while  seem  dark  and  the  tasks  which  are 
assigned  us  seem  too  hard  we  must  not  forget 
what  that  noble  ruler  endured.  Let  us  not 
forget  that  he  lived  through  and  remembered 
Jena  and  Tilsit,  and  that,  nevertheless,  he  never 
despaired  of  the  future  of  the  Fatherland.  From 
Tilsit  we  travelled  to  Versailles ! 

And  even  so  is  it  destined  to  be  in  the  future; 
there  remain  tasks  for  our  time  also.  The  great 
Emperor  with  his  great  aides  has  laid  the  basis, 
the  corner-stone  of  the  building;  it  is  for  us  to 
build  upon  it !  Therefore  it  is  my  opinion  and 
firm  conviction  that  a  great  future  awaits  us  also, 
if  we  are  but  determined  to  make  it  so.  Tasks  are 
assigned  to  us,  and,  whether  they  are  Hght  or 
heavy,  we  must  face  them  as  well  as  we  are  able 
and  enlist  all  our  strength.  Then  we  shall  be 
able  to  accomplish  them  and  I  am  convinced  that 
now  as  then  the  German  Empire  and  the  German 
people  will  never  lack  the  right  sort  of  men. 

230 


1903]  THE  FUTURE  OF  GERMANY 

For  this  reason  I  turn  to-day  to  that  place 
where  formerly  from  the  depths  of  my  heart  I 
issued  an  earnest  appeal  to  the  German  people; 
and  I  repeat  again  to-day:  "May  it  remain  true 
to  its  ideals  and  to  itself!"  Then,  as  the  block  of 
granite  yonder  bears  the  great  Emperor,  so  will 
the  German  people,  true  to  their  traditions,  bear 
upon  their  hearts  and  discharge  with  their  strength 
the  new  tasks  and  undertakings  which  come  to 
them.  May  they  enter  with  decision  upon  the 
work  which  Heaven  assigns  them  without  asking 
whether  it  be  easy  or  difficult,  without  worrying 
as  to  how  they  shall  accomplish  it,  provided  only 
they  are  going  forward! 

Raise  your  eyes  !  Lift  up  your  heads  !  Look  to 
the  heights,  bend  your  knee  before  the  Great  Ally, 
who  has  never  forsaken  the  Germans,  and  who, 
if  he  has  at  times  allowed  them  to  be  sorely  tried 
and  discouraged,  has  again  raised  them  from  the 
dust.  Put  your  hand  on  your  heart,  direct  your 
gaze  into  the  distance,  and  from  time  to  time  give 
a  backward  glance  for  memory  to  the  old  Em- 
peror and  his  time,  and  I  am  convinced  that, 
as  Hamburg  is  progressing  in  the  world,  so  will 
our  Fatherland  progress  along  the  road  of  en- 
lightenment, the  road  of  improvement,  the  road 
of  practical  Christianity:  a  blessing  for  mankind, 
a  bulwark  of  peace,  the  wonder  of  all  countries ! 

231 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

I  give  this  as  my  firm  hope  and  conviction,  and 
to  this  wish  I  empty  my  glass:  Long  Hfe  to  the 
city  of  Hamburg ! — Hurrah  !     Hurrah  !    Hurrah  ! 


THE  REASONS  FOR  JAPAN'S  VICTORY 

March  9,  1905 

It  will  have  been  noted  that  the  Emperor 
usually  addresses  his  recruits  in  very  simple 
language.  On  the  occasion  of  administering  the 
oath  to  the  naval  recruits  at  Wilhelmshaven,  he 
was  concerned  about  explaining  to  them  the 
reasons  for  the  Japanese  victory,  for  he  had 
repeatedly  told  them  that  only  a  good  Christian 
can  be  a  good  soldier. 

The  speech  was  reported  through  a  letter  of 
one  of  the  recruits. 

The  Emperor  spoke,  among  other  things,  of  the 
heroic  deeds  of  the  Japanese  and  explained  that 
they  had  sprung  from  the  Japanese  love  of  coun- 
try and  children,  which  had  begotten  a  splendid 
manliness  in  the  army  and  navy.  He  said  that 
we  must  not  conclude,  however,  from  the  Japa- 
nese victories — the  victories  of  a  heathen  over  a 
Christian  people — that  Buddha  was  superior  to 
our  Lord  Christ.  If  Russia  was  beaten,  it  was 
due  for  the  most  part,  according  to  his  opinion, 
to  the  fact  that  Christianity  in  Russia  was  in  a 
pretty  bad  way;  and  then,  too,  there  were  many 

232 


igosl  THE  SALT  OF  THE  EARTH 

Christian  virtues  among  the  Japanese.  A  good 
Christian   is   synonymous   with    a   good    soldier! 

But  Christianity  is  pooriy  off  among  the  Ger- 
mans also,  and  he — the  Emperor — doubted 
whether  we  Germans  in  case  of  a  war  would  have 
any  special  right  to  pray  God  for  victory,  to  wrest 
it  from  Him  in  prayer  as  Jacob  did  in  his  struggle 
with  the  angel.  The  Japanese  were  the  scourge 
of  God  just  as  once  Attila  and  Napoleon  were. 

And  so  we  must  take  care  lest  God  should  have 
to  chastise  us  with  such  a  scourge,  etc.  The  Em- 
peror spoke  very  earnestly  but  very  impressively 
and  simply,  so  that  he  could  be  understood  by 
every  one. 

THE  SALT  OF  THE  EARTH 

Bremen,  March  22,  1905 

The  following  address  was  deHvered  at  the 
Rathaus  in  Bremen  on  the  occasion  of  the  dedica- 
tion of  the  monument  to  Emperor  Frederick  III. 
The  Emperor  here  presents  his  views  on  the  mis- 
sion of  Germany  in  much  the  same  spirit  in  which 
it  is  expounded  in  a  number  of  his  addresses  of 
this  time.  He  has  become  increasingly  conscious 
of  her  "manifest  destiny"  in  the  decade  which 
had  passed  after  the  celebrations  of  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  the  Franco-Prussian  War. 
Germ.any  had  entered  upon  a  period  of  great  pros- 
perity and  had  begun  to  possess  the  sense  of  latent 

233 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

power.  The  Emperor  gives  us  here  the  purely 
historical  reasons  which  have  led  him  to  refrain 
from  pretensions  to  world-dominion.  It  is  signifi- 
cant that  his  next  address  will  be  delivered  at 
Morocco.  The  question  naturally  arises,  what 
hopes  or  aspirations  were  in  the  minds  of  the  audi- 
ence before  whom  the  Emperor  made  this  gran 
rifiuto.  It  was  in  a  time  of  insistent  agitation  by 
the  Navy  League  and  the  Colonial  party. 

My  Honored  Burgomaster: 

Will  you  allow  me  first,  with  a  heart  deeply 
moved,  to  perform  the  duty  of  a  son  and  thank 
you  sincerely  for  having  transmitted  to  me  the 
wish  of  your  countrymen  that  I  should  participate 
in  this  festive  day  and  be  present  at  the  unveiUng 
of  the  unique  and  splendid  statue  which  the  free 
Hanseatic  city  of  Bremen  has  erected  to  my 
father? 

I  can  assure  you  that  it  stirred  me  deeply  to-day 
as  my  eye  wandered  over  the  masses  of  people 
to  think  that  the  former  Prussian  Crown  Prince, 
subsequently  the  first  Crown  Prince  of  the  Ger- 
man Empire,  and,  finally,  second  Hohenzollern  Em- 
peror, should  be  feted  in  a  free  German  city  just 
as  though  this  were  his  home.  It  is  a  proof  that 
his  figure,  as  well  as  that  of  his  great  and  illustrious 
father,  has  become  a  common  possession  of  the 
entire  German  people. 

234 


I90S]  THE   SALT  OF  THE   EARTH 

I  sincerely  thank  the  city  of  Bremen  that  it  has 
honored  my  father  and  his  memory  in  such  a 
magnificent  manner.  You  have  created  a  work  of 
art,  the  Hke  of  which  is  not  often  seen  in  German 
lands.  And  I  am  convinced  that  in  later  genera- 
tions his  powerful  personality,  which  will  have 
become  surrounded  by  the  glamour  of  legend,  will 
through  this  statue  be  brought  nearer  to  the 
hearts  of  the  people.  And  I  am  sure  that  the 
generations  of  Bremen  which  are  to  follow,  from 
father  to  son,  will  never  forget  the  second  Em- 
peror, whose  noble  Siegfried  figure  led  the  German 
army  to  victory  and  whom  we  have  to  thank  for 
our  unity. 

And  so,  now,  beautiful  statues  of  both  my 
father  and  my  grandfather  stand  in  this  loyal 
German  city  and  furnish  mile-stones  for  the  his- 
tory of  our  Fatherland  as  well  as  for  the  city  of 
Bremen. 

Truly,  the  historical  retrospect  which  you  have 
been  good  enough  to  present  us  shows  mag- 
nificently the  leadership  of  God  and  the  grace 
which  Providence  has  bestowed  upon  our  people 
and  our  country.  The  portion  of  time  which  is 
represented  by  both  of  these  two  noble  leaders 
who  stand  here  in  bronze  has,  Hke  a  foundation- 
stone,  been  firmly  laid  in  history.  It  remains  for 
later  times  and  their  generations  to  build  upon 

235 


THE  GERMAN    EMPEROR  [March 

the  foundation  which  these  great  rulers  have  set 
down. 

You  have  had  the  goodness  to  express  the 
thoughts  which  stirred  you  upon  a  former  occasion 
in  this  same  place.  They  correspond  entirely  to 
what  I  myself  thought  at  that  time.  When,  as  a 
lad,  I  stood  before  the  model  of  the  Brommy*  ship, 
I  bitterly  felt  the  disgrace  which  our  fleet  and  our 
flag  had  been  forced  to  suff'er.  And  perhaps,  since 
on  my  mother's  side  a  bit  of  sea  blood  flowed  into 
my  veins,  this  was  the  thing  which  was  to  give  me 
my  cue  for  the  manner  in  which  I  would  envisage 
the  tasks  which  henceforth  were  to  confront  the 
empire. 

I  swore  to  the  colors  when  I  came  to  the  throne, 
after  the  mighty  time  of  my  grandfather,  that,  so 
far  as  in  me  lay,  the  bayonet  and  cannon  would 
have  to  rest,  but  that  bayonet  and  cannon,  how- 
ever, would  have  to  be  kept  sharp  and  effective 
in  order  that  jealousy  and  envy  from  without 
should  not  disturb  us  in  the  development  of  our 
garden  and  our  beautiful  house.  I  have  made  a 
vow,  as   a   result   of  what   I   have  learned   from 

*  Bromme  (called  also  Brommy)  was  a  German  seaman  who  served 
in  the  Greek  navy  and  who  was  later  placed  in  charge  of  the  Naval 
Commission  by  the  German  National  Assembly  in  1848.  He  or- 
ganized the  first  modern  German  fleet  and  as  admiral  drove  off  the 
three  Danish  ships  blockading  the  Weser.  This  navy  was  considered 
merely  a  passing  necessity,  and  in  1853  Bromme  was  retired,  after 
the  little  fleet  had  been  sold  at  auction. 

236 


1905]  THE  SALT  OF  THE  EARTH 

history,  never  to  strive  for  an  empty  world- 
dominion.  For  what  has  become  of  the  so-called 
world-empires  ?  Alexander  the  Great,  Napo- 
leon I — all  the  great  warriors — have  swum  in 
blood  and  have  left  subjugated  peoples  behind 
them  who  at  the  first  opportunity  have  risen  up 
again  and  brought  the  empire  to  ruin. 

The  world-empire  of  which  I  have  dreamed 
shall  consist  in  this,  that  the  newly  created  Ger- 
man Empire  shall  first  of  all  enjoy  on  all  sides  the 
most  absolute  confidence  as  a  quiet,  honorable, 
and  peaceful  neighbor;  and  that,  if  in  the  future 
they  shall  read  in  history  of  a  German  world- 
empire  or  of  a  Hohenzollern  world-ruler,  it  shall 
not  be  founded  upon  acquisitions  won  with  the 
sword  but  upon  the  mutual  trust  of  the  nations 
who  are  striving  for  the  same  goals.  To  express 
it  briefly,  as  a  great  poet  has  said:  "Limited  out- 
wardly, but  with  no  limits  upon  inward  develop- 
ment." 

You  have  mentioned  the  ships  which  here  hang 
memorially  from  the  ceiHng  of  this  beautiful  old 
hall.  The  time  in  which  I  grew  up  was,  in  spite 
of  the  great  war,  not  a  great  and  glorious  one  for 
the  seafaring  part  of  our  nation.  I,  too,  have  here 
drawn  the  logical  conclusions  from  what  my  an- 
cestors have  done.  In  a  military  way  much  had 
been   done  within,    as  was   necessary;    now  the 

237 


THE   GERMAN  EMPEROR  [March 

equipment  of  the  navy  had  to  be  brought  for- 
ward. 

I  thank  God  that  I  do  not  have  to  make  a 
desperate  appeal  here  in  this  town  hall  as  I  once 
did  in  Hamburg.*  The  fleet  is  built  and  is  on  the 
seas;  we  have  material  for  crews.  The  eagerness 
and  the  spirit  are  the  same  as  those  which  filled 
the  officers  of  the  Prussian  army  at  Hohenfried- 
berg,  at  Koniggratz,  and  at  Sedan;  and  every  Ger- 
man war-ship  which  leaves  the  slips  is  one  more 
guarantee  for  peace  on  land.  We  are  correspond- 
ingly more  powerful  as  allies,  and  our  opponents 
will  be  correspondingly  less  wiUing  to  offer  us 
any  aggression. 

To-day,  as  I  scanned  the  citizens  of  Bremen, 
I  saw  the  old  and  the  3^oung  standing  next  each 
other — the  old  with  their  medals  and  their  crosses, 
comrades  in  battle  and  in  deeds  under  both  the 
great  leaders  whose  statues  stand  in  this  city, 
and  before  them  stand  the  youth  who  shall  grow 
up  to  the  new  empire  and  its  tasks. 

What  will  these  tasks  be  ?  To  develop  steadily; 
to  shun  strife,  hate,  division,  and  jealousy;  to 
rejoice  in  the  German  Fatherland  as  it  is  and  not 
to  strive  after  the  impossible;  to  hold  fast  to  the 

*  The  appeal  referred  to  is  the  speech  delivered  at  Hamburg  on 
October  i8,  1899,  with  its  famous  "Bitterly  do  we  need  a  powerful 
fleet." 

238 


1905]  THE   SALT  OF  THE  EARTH 

conviction  that  our  God  would  never  have  taken 
such  great  pains  with  our  German  Fatherland  and 
its  people  if  he  had  not  been  preparing  us  for  some- 
thing still  greater. 

We  are  the  salt  of  the  earth,  but  we  must  also 
be  worthy  to  be  so.  Therefore  must  our  youth 
learn  to  give  up  and  deny  themselves  what  is  not 
good  for  them,  to  put  far  from  them  the  things 
which  have  sHpped  in  from  foreign  peoples,  and  to 
preserve  their  morals,  good  conduct,  reverence,  and 
religion.  Then  some  day  may  we  write  over  the 
German  people  the  motto  on  the  helmet  of  the 
1st  Regiment  of  my  guard:  ''Semper  talis" — 
"Ever  the  Same."  Then  we  shall  be  looked  upon 
from  all  sides  with  respect  and  in  a  measure  with 
love  as  a  safe  and  trustworthy  people  and  can 
stand  with  our  hand  on  our  sword-hilt  and  with 
our  shield  grounded  before  us  and  say:  *' Tamen, 
come  what  will." 

I  am  sure  that  my  words  will  fall  upon  good 
ground  here  in  Bremen.  Earnestly  I  hope  that 
the  golden  peace  which  up  to  the  present  with 
God's  help  we  have  maintained  we  may  preserve 
still  further  and  that  under  this  peace  Bremen 
may  grow  green,  may  bloom,  and  prosper.  That 
is  my  innermost  wish.  Long  life  to  Bremen — 
Hurrah  !     Hurrah  !     Hurrah  ! 


239 


ON  THE  EVE  OF  MOROCCO 

March  31,  1905— November  17,  1906 
THE  MOROCCO  QUESTION 

Tangier,  March  31,  1905 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1904,  an  entente  which  had 
settled  all  outstanding  questions  between  France 
and  Great  Britain  and  gave  to  Great  Britain  a 
free  hand  in  Egypt  and  to  France  a  free  hand  in 
Morocco  was  formally  signed  in  London.  The 
German  Government  officially  declared  that  the 
settlement  between  France  and  Great  Britain 
concerned  only  these  two  countries;  but  the  Pan- 
German  Society,  the  Colonial  Society,  and  the 
Navy  League  began  so  insistent  an  agitation  that 
the  government  changed  its  attitude  and  the  Em- 
peror here  declares  in  no  uncertain  terms  that 
what  Germany  undertakes  in  Morocco  will  be 
done  exclusively  with  the  ^^ sovereign  Sultan." 
Germany  was  evidently  picking  a  quarrel  with 
France  over  Morocco,  with  or  without  warrant, 
as  the  case  may  be,  and  was  trying  to  ascertain, 
it  is  generally  believed,  the  closeness  of  the  rela- 
tionship between  France  and  Great  Britain.  The 
large  commercial  interests  of  which  the  Emperor 

240 


I9051  THE  MOROCCO  QUESTION 

speaks  were  fairly  negligible;  though  he  doubtless 
had  the  right  to  protect  it,  Germany's  yearly  trade 
there  did  not  amount  to  as  much  as  that  of  an 
ordinary  department  store  or  of  a  fairly  success- 
ful merchant.  For  the  previous  eight  years  it 
averaged  less  than  half  a  million  dollars  annually. 
Her  course  here  has  usually  been  regarded  as  un- 
necessarily belligerent. 

True  to  his  poHcy  of  personal  diplomacy,  the 
Emperor  suddenly  appeared  at  Tangier  and  while 
there  made  his  speech  to  the  German  colony. 

The  w^hole  question  was  taken  up  at  the  con- 
ference of  Algeciras  in  1906.  Although  the  policy 
of  "the  open  door,"  which  protected  Germany's 
commercial  interests  was  guaranteed,  the  very 
general  storm  of  protest  in  Germany,  especially 
on  the  part  of  the  war  party  and  Navy  League,  s 
showed  that  she  had  entered  the  contest  with 
more  serious  intentions.  World  policy  by  ag- 
gressive interference  had  already  been  initiated 
when,  in  the  Spanish-American  War,  the  German 
Admiral  Diedrichs  started  to  hamper  the  opera- 
tions of  the  American  fleet  at  Manila.  Morocco 
was  looked  upon  by  some,  Doctor  Liman,  for  in- 
stance, as  a  second  defeat.  In  the  Algeciras  con- 
ference Italy  sided  with  France  and  England. 
Italy  had  been  continuing  as  a  member  of  the 
Triple  Alliance  partly  through  fear  that  the 
French  would  annex  Tripoli,  which  Italy  desired. 
England  and  France  had  now  privately  agreed  to 
give  Italy  a  free  hand.  She  sided  with  them  and 
it  was  evident  that  her  vital  interests  in  the  Triple 
Alliance    had    been    considerably    lessened.      As 

241 


^ 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

England  and  Russia  were  also  settling  all  their 
Eastern  points  of  difference,  Germany  began  to  be 
conscious  of  her  isolation,  which  had  been  largely 
a  result  of  her  attitude  and  unfortunate  diplomacy. 

I  am  pleased  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the 
pioneers  of  Germany  in  Morocco  and  to  be  able 
to  tell  them  that  they  have  done  their  duty. 

Germany  has  great  commercial  interests  here. 
I  shall  advance  and  protect  our  commerce,  which 
shows  a  satisfying  increase,  and  for  that  reason 
shall  insist  upon  equal  rights  with  all  powers, 
which  is  only  possible  through  the  sovereignty 
of  the  Sultan  and  the  independence  of  the  country. 
For  Germany  both  of  these  must  be  unquestioned, 
and  I  am,  therefore,  ready  to  intervene  for  them 
at  all  times. 

I  hope  that  my  visit  in  Tangier  declares  this 
plainly  and  emphatically  and  that  it  will  call  forth 
the  conviction  that  what  Germany  undertakes  in 
Morocco  will  be  negotiated  exclusively  with  the 
sovereign  Sultan. 


THE  GREAT  ALLY 

September  8,  1906 

On  this  date  the  Emperor  and  his  four  sons 
dedicated  a  monument  to  Frederick  the  Great 
on  the  site  of  his  famous  bivouac  at  Bunzelwitz. 

242 


i9o6]  THE  GREAT  ALLY 

In  the  evening  he  addressed  a  banquet  in  Breslau, 
in  which  he  took  up  especially  the  services  of  the 
Silesians  to  the  crown.  He  particularly  recalls 
the  support  they  gave  Frederick  William  III  in 
1813,  at  the  lowest  ebb  of  that  King's  fortunes. 
Divisions  of  patriotic  volunteers,  *'free  corps,'' 
were  organized  in  the  province,  who,  not  being 
Prussians,  could  not  serve  in  the  Prussian  line. 
The  best  known  of  these  was  that  of  Liitzow,  to 
which  the  poet  Theodor  Korner  belonged.  It  is 
from  one  of  his  most  famous  war-songs  that  the 
quotation  in  the  Emperor's  speech  is  taken.  The 
manner  in  which  he  speaks  of  the  coronation  of 
his  grandfather  '*by  the  will  of  Heaven"  and  with 
no  mention  of  the  Constitution,  is  to  be  found  in 
several  of  his  speeches,  notably  the  address  at 
Konigsberg  (August  25,  1910).  Most  of  these 
speeches  were  made  in  his  hereditary  provinces, 
Prussia,  Silesia,  and  Brandenburg,  and  aroused 
considerable  protest  in  other  parts  of  Germany. 

My  Dear  President: 

With  a  heart  deeply  moved,  I  take  the  op- 
portunity to-day  to  speak  as  sovereign  Duke  of 
Silesia  to  my  Silesians,  for  the  impressions  which 
have  been  showered  upon  me  during  the  short 
time  that  I  have  been  among  you  are  of  so  power- 
ful and  compelling  a  nature  that  words  fail  me  to 
express  them  or  to  find  the  proper  form  for  the 
thanks  which  I  would  like  to  communicate  to  my 
people  of  Silesia.    I  do  not  refer  only  to  yesterday's 

243 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

demonstrations,  which  surpassed,  if  that  were 
possible,  the  jubilations  on  the  day  of  my  entrance. 
And  I  do  not  mean  only  those  on  the  part  of  the 
old  soldiers  in  black  uniforms  with  their  military 
decorations  on  their  breasts,  who  can  say,  "We 
have  been  present  at  the  time  when  history  was 
made,"  and  who  dare  pride  themselves  on  having 
been  fellows  in  arms  of  the  great  Emperor  and  his 
noble  son,  my  father,  whose  heart,  as  is  known  to 
all  of  you,  beat  high  for  Silesia,  but  I  mean  to- 
day, on  my  journey  through  the  green  Silesian 
country  to  Bunzelwitz,  Schweidnitz,  and  Rogau 
and  back — everywhere  I  have  found  the  same 
warmth,  the  same  glowing,  burning  enthusiasm. 
It  is  the  old  Silesian  loyalty  which  breaks  forth  and 
which  proves  the  appreciation  on  the  part  of  the 
people  for  what  the  house  of  Hohenzollern  has 
done  for  them.  This  loyalty  is  rooted  in  ground 
specially  consecrated  by  history.  For  who  will 
deny  that  the  province  of  Silesia,  almost  more 
than  any  other,  stands  in  closest  union  with  the 
history  of  our  Fatherland  and  of  our  house .?  And, 
especially,  how  could  any  one  speak  of  the  develop- 
ment of  Silesia  without  first  thinking  of  the  one 
powerful  figure  of  whom  the  grenadiers  sang  from 
the  Rhine  to  the  Oder:  "Fredericus  Rex,  our  King 
and  leader"?  Wherever  we  look  over  the  plains 
of  Silesia   rise   the  memories  of  him,  of  the  in- 

244 


I9061  THE  GREAT  ALLY 

comparable  battles  through  which  he  made  Prus- 
sia a  world-power,  and  also  of  the  splendid  work 
of  peace  in  which  he  sought  to  raise  and  strengthen 
the  sorely  oppressed  country.  And  again  in  later 
times  it  was  precisely  to  Silesia  that  it  was  reserved 
to  send  a  new  ray  of  hope  to  that  sorely  tried 
Hohenzollern  King,  Frederick  William  III,  when 
he  encountered  the  ardent  enthusiasm  of  the  first 
volunteers  in  Breslau,  when  the  first  raising  of 
troops  took  place  here,  and  when  the  "wild,  dash- 
ing Liitzow  hunters"  started  in  their  career  against 
the  enemy  at  the  Zobten.  And  so  it  has  been  ever 
since.  The  sons  of  Silesia  have  fought  whenever 
it  was  a  question  of  coming  forward  and  sacrificing 
their  blood  for  the  Fatherland.  And  so  it  may  be 
very  well  said  that  the  history  of  our  house  is  in- 
dissolubly  bound  up  with  that  of  Silesia,  one  of 
her  most  beautiful  provinces.  And  when  we  glance 
back  over  this  great  history  we  can  characterize  it 
with  the  phrase  which  my  great  departed  grand- 
father used  when,  after  fierce  conflicts,  through 
the  will  of  Heaven  the  imperial  crown  was  set 
upon  his  brow:  "God  was  with  us,  and  His  be 
the  honor!"  And  when  I  stop  to  think  how  the 
flags  of  the  veterans  passed  me  with  proud  bearing 
I  believe  that  we  can  apply  this  to  the  present 
and  thank  God  that  He  has  disposed  everything 
for  the  good  and  profit  of  this  province  and  of  our 

245 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

house;  above  all,  for  the  fact  that  it  has  been 
granted  us  to  carry  out  our  work  in  peace.  But 
if  God  was  with  us  we  ought  earnestly  to  ask  the 
question  whether  we  were  worthy  of  His  help. 
Has  every  one  among  us  also  done  his  part  by  offer- 
ing up  his  thought,  his  health,  and  strength  to  carry 
on  and  develop  the  legacy  which  was  bequeathed 
to  us  by  the  past  ?  If  every  one  with  his  hand 
upon  his  heart  asks  himself  this  question  sincerely, 
many  a  man  will  find  it  difficult  to  answer.  And 
then,  gentlemen,  let  us  draw  a  lesson  from  the 
personality  of  the  great  King  and  decide  where  it 
was  that  we  have  failed  in  the  work,  where  we 
have  allowed  our  spirits  to  flag,  and  where  dark 
thoughts  and  fears  have  bewildered  our  minds. 
Away  with  them  !  And  just  as  the  great  King  was 
never  left  in  the  lurch  by  the  old  Ally,  so  our 
Fatherland  and  this  beautiful  province  will  always 
be  near  His  heart.  And  so  out  of  the  beautiful 
circle  of  memories  and  of  golden  loyalty  which  I 
have  here  encountered,  let  us  coin  a  new  vow: 
from  this  time  on,  through  offering  up  our  strength 
of  soul  and  body,  we  will  devote  ourselves  to  the 
task  of  urging  our  country  forward,  of  working  for 
our  people;  and  every  one,  according  to  his  posi- 
tion, whether  high  or  low,  will  do  this;  and  the 
various  creeds  will  unite  to  check  unbelief;  and 
above  all  things,  for  the  future,  we  shall  keep  our 

246 


i9o6]  OPTIMISM  AND  LITERATURE 

vision  clear  and  never  despair  of  ourselves  or  of  our 
people.  The  world  belongs  to  the  living,  and  the 
living  are  right.  I  cannot  endure  pessimists,  and 
whoever  does  not  take  part  in  the  work  let  him 
depart  and,  if  he  likes,  seek  out  a  better  country. 
But  I  expect  from  my  Silesians  that  they  to-day 
will  unite  in  the  decision  to  be  ever  mindful  of 
their  great  aims  and  examples,  that  they  will 
follow  their  Duke,  especially  in  his  work  of  peace 
for  his  people.  In  this  hope,  I  empty  my  glass  to 
the  health  of  the  province  of  Silesia  and  of  all 
faithful  Silesians. 


OPTIMISM  AND  LITERATURE 

Munich,  November  12,  1906 

One  of  the  men  of  letters  whom  the  Emperor 
has  been  particularly  delighted  to  honor  and  in 
whom  he  sees  one  of  the  glories  of  German  litera- 
ture is  Doctor  Ludwig  Ganghofer,  who  is  certainly 
not  more  than  an  able  writer  of  the  second  rank. 
After  a  performance  in  the  Hoftheater  in  Munich 
the  Emperor  expressed  the  desire  to  see  him,  and 
the  following  conversation  took  place  which  was 
reported  in  a  confusing  combination  of  direct  and 
indirect  quotation. 

The  Emperor  said  that  he  had  recently  read  the 
*'Hohen  Schein"  and  spoke  at  some  length  about 

247 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

it,  going  over  the  content  and  thought  of  the  book. 
From  the  way  in  which  he  spoke  about  it  one 
could  see  how  intensely  he  was  occupied  with  one 
thing  in  particular. 

What  pleased  him  especially  in  the  book  was 
the  optimistic  tone  which  pervaded  it,  the  preach- 
ing which  stimulated  belief  in  life,  and  the  manner 
of  accepting  the  misfortunes  of  existence,  as  well 
as  the  trust  in  the  future  and  trust  in  humanity. 
**This,"  said  the  Emperor,  "makes  such  an  im- 
pression upon  me  because  I  am  an  optimist  through 
and  through  and  will  allow  nothing  to  prevent  me 
from  remaining  one  to  the  end  of  my  days."  He 
spoke  of  himself  as  a  man  full  of  his  work  and  one 
who  believed  in  his  tasks.  He  said  further:  "I 
will  go  forward.  I  would  greatly  rejoice  if  men 
would  understand  me  and  would  support  me  in 
my  desires."  In  this  connection  he  spoke  of  the 
difficulty  every  one  encountered  in  his  work  on  ac- 
count of  distrust.  He  again  recalled  a  passage 
from  Ganghofer's  "Schweigen  im  Walde"  which 
had  also  especially  appealed  to  him  because  it 
had  expressed  his  own  point  of  view  concerning 
Hfe.  The  passage  runs:  "He  who  distrusts,  com- 
mits a  wrong  against  another  and  harms  himself. 
It  is  our  duty  to  believe  that  every  man  is  good  so 
long  as  he  does  not  give  proof  to  the  contrary." 
"On  this  basis,"  said  the  Emperor,  "I  have  always 

248 


i9o6]  OPTIMISM  AND  LITERATURE 

accepted  every  man  with  whom  I  had  anything  to 
do.  One  may  sometimes  meet  with  unpleasant  ex- 
periences, but  on  that  account  he  dare  not  give  up. 
One  must  always  go  on  again  with  new  trust  in 
humanity  and  in  life." 

The  Emperor  then  directed  the  conversation  to 
a  tablet  which  he  had  had  made  and  which  con- 
tained, besides  the  above-mentioned  quotation, 
certain  aphorisms  of  a  hke  tenor  from  Ganghofer's 
novels. 

These  quotations  appealed  to  him  so  strongly 
because  they  expressed  entirely  his  attitude  toward 
life.  With  a  good  bit  of  optimism  and  a  bright 
and  trustful  outlook  a  man  will  go  much  further, 
not  only  in  his  own  personal  life  but  in  his  vocation 
also,  than  he  will  if  he  looks  upon  all  things  with 
a  pessimistic  eye;  and  even  in  poHtics  the  case 
is  the  same.  The  German  people  certainly  have  a 
future,  and  there  is  one  word,  ^^  Reichsverdrossen- 
heif  [sullenness  toward  imperial  destiny],  which 
always  offends  him  as  often  as  he  hears  it.  "What 
have  we  to  do  with  sullenness .?  Rather  work 
and  look  forward.  I  work — yes,  not  unwillingly — 
and  I  beHeve  that  I  progress.'' 

In  connection  with  this  word,  the  Emperor  de- 
scribed the  way  in  which  he  worked  every  day 
and  told  how  the  difficulty  of  the  many  duties 
and  tasks  which  stormed  in  upon  him  often  made 

249 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

him  very  weary.  It  was  at  such  times  that  the 
need  overcame  him  to  get  out  of  harness  and  see 
another  part  of  the  world,  to  become  acquainted 
with  other  men  who  stimulated  him  again.  Thus, 
his  journeys  to  the  north  always  invigorated  him 
both  mentally  and  physically. 

The  Emperor  described  earnestly  and  vividly 
how  such  a  journey  gradually  rested  and  refreshed 
him.  In  the  first  days  there  was  of  course  an 
abundance  tof  work.  Telegrams  and  letters  came 
even  to  the  boat,  and  he  and  those  about  him  could 
not  leave  work  for  long.  Then  it  became  gradually 
more  restful  and  solitary  until  eventually  he  found 
complete  rest  and  could  give  himself  up  to  the 
glories  of  nature.  He  then  gave  lively  descrip- 
tions of  his  journeys,  of  the  special  beauties  of  the 
fjords,  and  of  his  impression  of  the  midnight  sun. 
He  spoke  especially  of  his  pleasure  at  the  sim- 
plicity and  the  cordiality  of  the  people,  who  re- 
sponded to  him  so  naturally.  Everything  that 
oppressed  him  was  cast  aside  for  a  few  weeks — 
and  yet  the  pleasures  which  he  received  were  be- 
grudged him  by  many  people.  He  knew  that  he 
had  always  been  called  the  "travelling  Emperor," 
but  he  had  always  taken  it  lightly  and  had  not 
allowed  his  pleasure  to  be  spoiled  by  it.  We  dis- 
cover friends  in  travelling,  even  in  our  own  home. 
He  believed  that  the  feeling  of  interdependence 

250 


i9o6]  OPTIMISM  AND  LITERATURE 

was  strengthened  in  that  way  and  added  that  there 
were  many  Germans  who  did  not  know  how  beau- 
tiful their  own  land  was  and  how  much  there  was 
to  be  seen  in  it.  He  always  rejoiced  when  he  had 
learned  to  know  a  new  portion  of  Germany.  The 
south  especially  seemed  to  him  beautiful,  and  he 
was  very  much  drawn  to  it  by  the  manner  of  Kfe 
there.  He  always  remembered,  he  said,  with 
particular  pleasure  a  journey  which  he  had  made 
many  years  before  to  Berchtesgaden  and  the 
beautiful  days  which  he  had  been  allowed  to 
spend  in  the  hills  behind  it  with  his  uncle,  the  Duke 
of  Coburg.  If  only  travelling  were  not  accom- 
panied by  so  many  inconveniences  !  It  was  always 
necessary  to  take  along  so  many  paraphernalia. 
Often  he  longed  to  seat  himself  in  an  automobile 
and  go  whizzing  off  for  a  few  days,  to  return  satis- 
fied and  ready  to  work  again.  And  such  refresh- 
ment was  necessary  in  a  serious  calling  like  his 
own — doubly  necessary  because  he  had  to  fight  so 
much  misunderstanding;  it  was  a  thankless  situa- 
tion, because  no  one  ever  gave  him  credit  for 
being  independent.  If  he  succeeded  in  anything, 
then  all  the  world  asked:  "Who  advised  him.^'* 
If  he  was  unsuccessful,  then  they  said:  "He  did  not 
understand  it."  "What  in  the  cases  of  other 
princes  is  accepted  as  self-evident  becomes  in  mine 
a  matter  of  debate.     And,  nevertheless,  the  one 

251 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Nov. 

answer  is:  'Because  I  wish  the  good  of  the  German 
Empire  and  of  the  German  people.' 

"Many  times  also  I  meet  with  pleasant  experi- 
ences— and  most  often  on  these  very  journeys 
which  are  made  such  a  reproach  to  me."  So  the 
days  in  Munich  would  remain  an  untroubled  joy 
to  him  which  he  would  never  forget.  The  warmth 
and  heartiness  in  the  behavior  of  the  population 
as  well  as  the  beautiful  picture,  gay  with  color,  of 
the  city  in  its  artistic  decorations  had  completely 
charmed  him. 

The  conversation  then  turned  upon  several 
questions  of  literature  and  politics.  The  Em- 
peror also  related  some  anecdotes  concerning  his 
own  family,  and  here  the  intimacy  with  which  he 
spoke  was  particularly  agreeable.  He  said  merely, 
*'my  wife"  and  ^^my  Buben'  [boys].  In  a  partic- 
ularly sincere  manner  the  Emperor  spoke  of  our 
regents,  whose  energy  and  self-sacrifice  in  such 
trying  days  he  lauded,  and  expressed  the  wish  that 
the  Great  Prince  might  preserve  us  all  for  a  long 
time  to  come. 


252 


I9061  LABOR   LEGISLATION 

TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS  OF  LABOR 
LEGISLATION 

November  17,  1906 

The  policy  of  introducing  legislation  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  laboring  classes  may  be  said  to  have 
been  inaugurated  by  Emperor  WilHam  I  in  1881. 
If  one  of  its  aims  was  to  alleviate  the  condition  of 
this  class  and  to  promote  the  welfare  of  Germany 
generally,  another  and  perhaps  its  most  important 
aim  in  Bismarck's  eyes  was  to  stem  the  growth  of 
the  Social  Democratic  party  and  bring  about  a 
greater  sense  of  solidarity  within  the  empire.  In 
this  latter  aim  of  ^'taking  the  wind  out  of  the 
sails"  of  the  Social  Democratic  party  it  had  not 
proved  successful  at  the  time  of  the  accession  of 
WiUiam  II.  He  began  his  reign  with  the  idea  of 
making  still  further  concessions  and  on  this  point 
broke  with  Bismarck.  When  these  again  failed 
to  conciliate  the  Social  Democrats,  he  took  mea- 
sures to  legislate  against  them.  He  declared,  as  we 
have  seen,  on  one  occasion:  "For  me,  every 
Social  Democrat  is  synonymous  with  enemy  of 
the  nation  and  of  the  Fatherland."  (May  14,  1889.) 
The  fact  that  the  party  has  continued  to  increase 
has  always  been  a  thorn  in  his  side,  and  his  attitude 
has  been  more  or  less  contradictory  with  regard 
to  the  working  classes;  so  that  occasionally,  as  here, 
he  seems  to  attempt  to  threaten  and  conciHate 
at  the  same  time. 

Twenty-five  years  ago  to-day  the  late  Emperor 
and  King,  William  the  Great,  made  his  memorable 

253 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

announcement,  and  I  welcome  the  opportunity  of 
calling  to  mind  with  reverent  gratitude  this  work 
of  peace  through  which  my  noble  ancestor  in- 
augurated new  lines  of  legislation  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  economically  weak.  In  obedience  to 
his  lofty  will,  with  the  hearty  approval  of  the  al- 
lied governments  and  the  intelHgent  co-operation 
of  the  Reichstag,  we  succeeded  in  so  advancing 
the  difficult  and  multifarious  development  of  the 
state's  labor  legislation,  in  the  domain  of  sick, 
accident,  and  disability  insurance,  that  those  de- 
serving help  in  their  day  of  need  now  possess  a 
regularly  constituted  legal  claim.  Thanks  to  the 
comprehensive  acts  of  the  realm  and  of  the  em- 
ployers as  well  as  to  their  own  contributions,  the 
laborers  have  hereby  attained  a  much  higher  de- 
gree of  security  with  regard  to  their  means  of 
livelihood  and  the  support  of  their  famihes.  But 
the  great  and  fruitful  ideas  in  the  imperial  mes- 
sage have  not  only  inaugurated  this  condition  in 
our  own  Fatherland  but  have  served  as  an  epoch- 
making  example  far  beyond  her  borders.  Un- 
fortunately, through  lasting  opposition  in  the  very 
quarter  which  believes  that  it  has  a  right  to  rep- 
resent the  interests  of  labor  the  fulfilment  of 
the  highest  aims  of  the  imperial  message  is  being 
checked  and  delayed.  Nevertheless,  I  believe 
that  a  recognition  of  what  has  been  done  and  a 

254 


i9o6]  LABOR  LEGISLATION 

growing  realization  of  the  limits  of  the  econo- 
mically possible  will  in  all  circles  of  the  German 
people  bring  about  its  final  triumph.  Then  the 
hope  of  Emperor  WiUiam  that  the  laboring  man's 
insurance  would  be  a  lasting  pledge  of  internal 
peace  for  the  Fatherland  will  have  been  fulfilled. 
With  this  in  mind,  it  is  my  firm  will  that  legisla- 
tion in  the  domain  of  social  and  political  provisions 
should  not  cease,  but  that  it  should  be  carried  out 
toward  the  fulfilling  of  the  highest  Christian  duty 
with  regard  to  the  protection  and  the  welfare  of 
the  weak  and  needy.  But  the  task  proposed  by 
the  spirit  of  the  imperial  message  and  its  lofty 
framer  cannot  be  carried  out  through  merely  legal 
acts  and  provisions.  I  gladly  recognize  to-day 
that  in  the  German  people  there  has  never  been  a 
lack  of  men  and  women  who  willingly  and  joyfully 
gave  up  their  strength  in  loving  service  for  the 
good  of  their  neighbor;  and  to  all  of  those  who 
devote  themselves  in  unselfish  sacrifice  to  the  great 
social  work  of  our  time  I  express  my  imperial 
thanks. 

I  commission  you  to  bring  this  decree  to  general 
notice. 

Issued    to    the    Imperial   Chancellor,    Donau- 
eschingen,  November  17,  1906. 

William,  I.  R. 


255 


VII 
THE  CRISIS  OF  1907 

February  5,  jr^y—CirTn^^n  tR.  t^ti 


IMPERIALISM  VERSUS  SOCIAL  DEMOCRACY 

Berlin,  February  5,  1907 

A  number  of  scandals  in  army  and  colonial  ad- 
ministration had  been  exposed  in  1906.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  for  years  back  the  Emperor  had 
been  insisting  on  union  between  the  various  relig- 
ious creeds.  This  was  perhaps  due  in  part  to  a 
spirit  of  toleration,  but  to  a  larger  extent  it  was 
due  to  the  fact  that  the  Centre  party  (CathoHc) 
had  for  a  number  of  years  been  in  control.  The 
Reichstag  of  1906  was  dissolved,  ostensibly  over 
the  government's  quarrel  with  the  Centre  party 
over  the  comparatively  paltry  sum  of  ^2,ooo,ocx) 
demanded  for  the  Southwest  African  colony.  In 
reality  the  causes  probably  lay  deeper.  The  late 
Reichstag  had  voted  an  insufficient  sum  for  the 
navy  and  was  beginning  to  object  to  the  increasing 
taxes  on  the  necessities  of  life.  The  Navy  League 
was  demanding  a  doubling  of  the  German  fleet. 
The  government  seemed  to  wish  to  undertake  a 

256 


1907]     IMPERIALISM  VERSUS  DEMOCRACY 

more  rapid  policy  of  expansion.     Mr.  Barker  is 
authority  for  the  statement  that  leaders  of  the 
imperialistic  agitation  had  gone  so  far  as  to  rec- 
ommend that  if  the  Reichstag  did  not  vote  the 
credits  necessary  for  doubling  the  fleet,  a  coup  d'etat 
should  be  effected  by  the  government  and  that  it 
should  levy  the  taxes  and  govern  in  case  of  neces- 
sity against  the  will  of  the  Reichstag  or  without 
the     Reichstag.     The     expansionist    policy    was 
strongly  advocated  by  the  Colonial  party  and  the 
Navy  League  and  was  championed  by  the  Chan- 
cellor.    As  the  Social  Democrats  opposed  increases 
in  taxation,  they  were  Ukewise  now  specially  under 
the  ban  of  official  disapproval.    There  are  usually 
about  forty  parties  in  the  Reichstag.     The  issue 
was,  therefore,  clearly   drawn   between    a   policy 
of  imperialism  and  a  stronger  insistence  on  world- 
policy,  on  the  one  hand,  and  Social  Democracy 
and  the  opposition  on  the  other.     The  Emperor 
and  the  Chancellor,  particularly  the  latter,  threw 
themselves  vigorously  into  the  campaign,  and  in 
spite    of  the    support    of  the   Centre   party  the 
Social    Democrats   lost   thirty-six   representatives 
and   their   representation  was   reduced   to   forty- 
three.    Although  the  Social  Democrats  have  to  a 
certain  point  supported  the  policy  of  commercial 
expansion,  their  defeat  here  may  be  looked  upon 
as    the    unconditioned    triumph    of   imperialism. 
On  the  night  of  February  5,  when  it  was  an- 
nounced that  the  Social  Democrats  had  been  de- 
feated, a  crowd  gathered   about  the  palace,  and 
when   the  Emperor  returned   at   about  midnight 
from  the  meeting  of  the  Electrical  Society,  where 

257 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

he  had  deUvered  an  address,  he  stepped  out  on  his 
balcony  and  made  the  following  speech  to  the 
crowd : 

Gentlemen: 

With  my  whole  heart  I  thank  you  for  the 
beautiful  demonstration  of  homage  which  you 
have  shown  me.  It  arises  from  the  feeling  that 
you  are  proud  to  have  done  your  duty  toward  the 
Fatherland;  in  the  phrase  of  our  Chancellor,  you 
are  able  to  ride,  and  you  will  ride  down  everything 
that  opposes  us  if  all  conditions  and  creeds  stand 
together  in  firm  union.  Do  not  allow  this  hour  of 
celebration  to  end  like  a  passing  wave  of  patriotic 
enthusiasm,  but  stand  firmly  to  the  path  on  which 
you  have  started.  I  close  with  the  words  of  the 
great  poet  Kleist  in  his  **  Prince  von  Homburg" 
when  old  Kottwitz  speaks  to  the  Great  Elector 
somewhat  as  follows:  *'What  do  we  care  for  the 
rules  according  to  which  the  enemy  fights  if  he  is 
beaten  in  the  fighting.?  We  have  now  learned  the 
art  of  conquering  him  and  are  filled  with  the  de- 
sire to  practise  it  further.*** 

*The  exact  passage  runs  as  follows,  though  the  lines  are  separated 
in  the  play  and  do  not  occur  in  this  order: 

"What,  I  pray  you,  do  you  care  for  the  rule 
According  to  which  the  enemy  fights,  if  only 
He  goes  down  before  you  with  all  his  flags  ? 
The  rule  that  conquers  him  is  the  highest  rule." 

Act  V,  Scene  5. 

258 


1907]  THE  NECESSITY  OF  FAITH 

THE  NECESSITY  OF  FAITH 

MuNSTER,  August  31,  1907 

The  following  address  of  a  general  character, 
which  represents  the  Emperor's  faith  in  God  and 
in  Germany,  was  delivered  at  a  banquet  in  the 
Westphalian  Provincial  Museum.  It  is  somewhat 
similar  in  its  general  attitude  to  the  one  delivered 
about  a  month  later  at  the  unveiling  of  the  na- 
tional monument  at  Memel. 

I  wish  to  express  to  the  representatives  of  the 
province  whom  I  have  gathered  about  me  to-day 
my  warmest  thanks  for  the  way  in  which  I  have 
everywhere  been  received  in  this  beautiful  country 
of  Westphalia.  I  would  also  like  to  repeat  to  you 
in  the  name  of  her  Majesty,  the  Empress  and 
Queen,  how  disconsolate  she  is  that  it  was  un- 
fortunately not  possible  for  her  to  celebrate  the 
Westphalian  days  with  you  and  to  come  into  per- 
sonal contact  with  the  Westphalian  people. 

The  province  of  Westphalia  offers  an  attractive 
picture  of  a  state  in  which  it  has  been  proved  pos- 
sible to  reconcile  historical,  religious,  and  industrial 
differences  through  love  and  loyalty  for  a  common 
Fatherland.  The  province  is  made  up  of  several 
districts,  of  which  many  have  for  a  long  time  be- 
longed to  the  crown  of  Prussia,  while  many  others 
have  been  but  recently  acquired.    They,  however, 

259 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

vie  with  one  another  in  their  loyalty  to  our  house. 
As  I  make  no  difference  between  old  and  new 
districts,  so  I  also  make  no  difference  between  the 
adherents  to  the  Catholic  and  the  Protestant 
creeds.  Let  them  both  stand  upon  the  foundation 
of  Christianity  and  they  are  both  bound  to  be  true 
citizens  and  obedient  subjects.  All  the  children  of 
my  country  stand  equally  near  to  my  heart,  which 
is  devoted  to  the  Fatherland.  In  its  industrial 
relations  the  province  also  offers  a  highly  edify- 
ing example.  It  shows  that  the  great  branches 
of  industry  do  not  need  to  harm  each  other  and 
that  the  welfare  of  the  one  works  for  the  good  of 
the  others  also.  The  farmer  diligently  cultivates 
his  red  Westphalian  soil,  holding  fast  to  the  tradi- 
tions which  have  come  down  to  him  from  ages 
past;  a  sturdy  character,  with  unyielding  energy 
and  lofty  purpose,  of  loyal  nature,  a  firm  founda- 
tion for  our  state.  Therefore,  the  protection  of 
agriculture  lies  especially  near  my  thoughts. 
Your  citizen  brings  his  cities  ever  nearer  to  per- 
fection; there  are  works  for  the  benefit  of  the 
public — museums  and  collections,  hospitals  and 
churches.  And  deep  in  your  mountains  lie  hidden 
the  treasures  which,  mined  by  the  diligent  hands 
of  the  brave  mountain  people,  give  to  industry  the 
opportunity  to  develop  itself — that  industry,  the 
pride  of  the  nation,  wonderful   in   its  progress, 

260 


I907]  THE  NECESSITY  OF  FAITH 

the  envy  of  all  the  world.  May  it  be  permitted 
to  gather  together  further  treasures  for  our  na- 
tional wealth  and  to  increase  abroad  the  good 
reputation  of  the  thoroughness  and  excellence  of 
German  work. 

In  this  connection  I  am  mindful  also  of  those 
laborers  who,  in  these  vast  industrial  undertakings, 
tend  the  great  blast-furnaces  and  of  those  who,  far 
from  the  daylight,  accomplish  their  work  with 
steady  hands  in  the  leads  of  the  mines.  Considera- 
tion for  them,  for  their  prosperity  and  their  welfare 
I  have  taken  over  as  a  precious  heritage  from  my 
late  grandfather,  and  it  is  my  wish  and  my  will,  in 
the  province  of  such  social  regulations,  to  hold 
fast  to  the  principles  laid  down  in  the  memorable 
message  of  Emperor  William  the  Great. 

The  lovely  picture  of  unity  which  the  province 
of  Westphalia  presents  to  the  observer  I  would 
gladly  see  made  general  over  our  entire  Father- 
land. I  believe  that  for  such  a  unity  of  all  our 
citizens,  of  all  our  conditions,  only  one  means  is 
possible,  and  that  is  religion.  Not,  indeed,  under- 
stood in  the  sense  of  strict  theological  doctrine, 
but  in  the  broader  sense,  practical  for  daily  life. 
I  must  here  go  back  to  my  own  experience.  In 
the  long  period  of  my  reign — it  is  now  the  twen- 
tieth year  since  I  came  to  the  throne — I  have 
had  to  do  with  many  men  and  I  have  had  to  en- 

261 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

dure  much  from  them;  many  times  unconsciously, 
and  unfortunately  many  times  consciously,  they 
have  hurt  me  grievously.  And  if  at  such  moments 
I  have  been  in  danger  of  losing  my  temper  and 
thoughts  of  revenge  have  arisen,  I  have  asked 
myself  what  were  the  means  best  fitted  to  temper 
anger  and  increase  moderation.  The  only  one 
which  I  have  found  is  to  say  to  myself:  "All  men 
are  like  you,  and,  although  they  do  you  harm,  they 
bear  a  soul  born  in  the  realms  of  light  above,  to 
which  we  all  wish  to  return,  and  through  their 
souls  they  have  a  part  of  the  Creator  within  them." 
Whoever  thinks  in  this  way  will  judge  his  fellow 
men  mildly.  If  this  idea  of  mutual  forbearance 
could  only  be  spread  among  the  German  peo- 
ple, then  the  first  condition  for  a  complete  unity 
would  be  established.  This  can  only  be  accom- 
plished if  we  tend  toward  one  central  ideal — the 
person  of  our  Redeemer,  the  Man  who  called  us 
brothers,  who  lived  as  an  example  for  all  of  us — 
the  most  personal  of  all  personalities.  He  still  wan- 
ders among  the  people,  and  we  are  all  conscious 
of  Him  in  our  hearts.  In  looking  up  to  Him  our 
people  must  find  their  union,  and  they  must  build 
firmly  upon  His  words,  concerning  which  He  Him- 
self has  said:  "Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away, 
but  My  words  shall  not  pass  away."  If  they  do 
that,  then  they  will  succeed.    To  such  co-operation 

262 


1907]  THE   NECESSITY  OF  FAITH 

I  should  like  to-day  to  invite  especially  the  men 
of  Westphalia.  For,  as  I  have  before  explained, 
in  their  province  they  have  understood  how  to 
present  that  charming  spectacle  of  differences 
reconciled.  They  will  also  understand  me  first 
and  best.  In  this  spirit  let  old  and  new  districts, 
citizens,  farmers,  and  laborers  hold  together  and 
unitedly  work  together  through  loyalty  and  love 
for  the  Fatherland.  Then  the  German  people 
will  be  the  rock  of  granite  upon  which  our  Lord 
God  can  build  and  complete  his  work  of  culture 
in  the  world.  Then  will  the  words  of  the  poet  be 
fulfilled  when  he  says:  "  In  contact  with  German 
life,  the  world  will  grow  well  again.'*  To  whoso- 
ever is  ready  to  offer  me  his  hand  on  this  I  shall  be 
most  grateful  and  I  will  accept  it  joyfully,  no 
matter  who  or  of  what  condition  he  may  be.  I 
beheved  that  I  would  be  most  quickly  understood 
by  the  Westphalians,  and  therefore  I  have  turned 
to  them. 

I  now  raise  my  glass  with  the  wish  that  God's 
blessing  may  rest  upon  the  red  Westphalian  earth 
and  upon  all  its  people,  that  I  may  be  permitted 
still  longer  to  maintain  peace  in  order  that  they 
may  follow  their  calling  undisturbed.  God  bless 
Westphalia  !  The  province  of  Westphalia — Hur- 
rah !    Hurrah !     Hurrah ! 


263 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Nov. 

ENGLISH  JOURNALISTS 

London,  November  i6,  1907 

In  November  and  December,  1907,  the  Emperor 
paid  a  visit  to  England.  On  this  occasion  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Civil  Law  was  conferred  upon 
him  by  Oxford  University.  Ever  since  the  Mo- 
rocco incident,  in  1905,  the  feehng  between  the  two 
countries  had  been  somewhat  strained  and  news- 
papers on  both  sides  of  the  channel  had  helped  to 
foment  discontent.  To  a  group  of  English  jour- 
nalists who  had  visited  Germany  during  the  sum- 
mer the  Emperor  gave  an  audience  and  addressed 
them  as  follows: 

Gentlemen: 

I  greatly  appreciate  your  greeting.  It  gives  me 
pleasure  to  think  that  your  visit  to  Germany 
during  the  past  summer  has  been  so  fruitful  and 
that  you  are  satisfied  with  the  welcome  accorded 
you  by  my  countrymen.  The  power  which  you 
possess  is  great  and  extremely  beneficial  when  it  is 
used  as  a  means  for  strengthening  the  feeling  of 
friendship  among  the  peoples.  Your  address 
shows  that  this  task  lies  near  to  your  hearts.  I 
thank  you,  therefore,  for  your  appearance  here  to- 
day. I  rejoice  to  have  seen  you  and  hope  that  you 
will  exert  your  influence  to  foster  between  our 
two  nations  the  friendly  feelings  which  are  so 
necessary  to  the  peace  of  Europe.     We  belong  to 

264 


1907]  ALSACE-LORRAINE 

the  same  race  and  have  the  same  religion.  These 
are  bonds  which  should  be  strong  enough  to 
preserve  harmony  and  friendship  between  us. 


ALSACE-LORRAINE 

Strasburg,  August  30,  1908 

The  Emperor  delivered  the  following  address 
at  a  banquet  after  the  imperial  manoeuvres  in 
Alsace-Lorraine.  The  general  situation  in  Alsace- 
Lorraine  has  been  discussed  in  connection  with 
the  address  to  the  delegates  of  the  Landesausschuss 
on  March  14,  1891. 

I  bid  you,  gentlemen,  heartily  welcome  and 
express  to  you  the  warmest  thanks  of  the  Empress 
and  myself  for  the  beautiful  reception  through 
which,  here  as  in  Metz,  the  people  of  Alsace- 
Lorraine  have  given  so  telling  an  expression  of 
their  love  and  loyalty.  My  heart  also  bids  me 
thank  you  once  more  for  the  restoration  of  the  old 
castle  of  Hohkonigsburg,  especially  the  people  of 
Lorraine  for  their  patriotic  attitude  and  the  dona- 
tion of  the  charming  Lorraine  Room  in  the  castle. 
For  more  than  thirty-seven  years  you  have  now 
been  able  to  follow  your  different  callings  in  peace, 
and  beautiful  Alsace-Lorraine,  keeping  pace  with 
the  unexpected  development  of  the  German  Em- 
pire, has  in  this  time  blossomed  forth  most  joy- 

265 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

ously.  As  inhabitants  of  this  border-land,  you 
naturally  have  the  greatest  interest  in  the  further 
maintenance  of  peace,  and  I  rejoice  to  be  able  to 
express  to  you  my  innermost  conviction  that  the 
peace  of  Europe  is  in  no  danger.  It  rests  upon  too 
firm  a  foundation  to  be  easily  disturbed  through 
instigations  and  slanders  aroused  in  certain  quar- 
ters by  jealousy  and  envy.  A  soHd  security  of  the 
first  rank  is  afforded  by  the  consciences  of  the 
princes  and  statesmen  of  Europe  who  know  them- 
selves responsible  to  God  and  feel  for  the  life  and 
prosperity  of  the  people  intrusted  to  their  charge. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  is  the  wish  and  will  of  the 
people  themselves  to  make  themselves  useful  in 
the  further  development  of  the  magnificent  ac- 
quisitions of  their  progressive  civiHzation  and  to 
measure  their  strength  in  peaceful  competition. 
And,  finally,  peace  will  be  secured  and  protected 
also  through  our  forces  on  water  and  on  land — 
through  the  German  people  in  arms !  Proud  of 
the  unequalled  discipline  and  love  of  honor  of  her 
armies,  Germany  is  determined,  without  threaten- 
ing others,  to  carry  these  to  still  greater  heights 
and  so  to  expand  as  to  further  her  ow^n  interests 
without  either  favoring  or  doing  harm  to  any  one. 
With  God's  help  and  under  the  protection  of  the 
German  eagle,  you  can  therefore  follow  still  further 
your  peaceful  callings   and   garner  the  fruits  of 

266 


1908]       "DAILY  TELEGRAPH"   INTERVIEW 

your  industry.  May  the  blessing  of  God  rest 
upon  your  work  at  all  times !  Long  life  to  the 
German  province  Alsace-Lorraine ! 

THE  "DAILY  TELEGRAPH"  INTERVIEW 

October  28,  1908 

Perhaps  the  most  startling  incident  in  the  Em- 
peror's reign  and  the  most  extraordinary  evidence 
of  what  may  be  called  his  "personal  diplomacy" 
poHcy  was  brought  out  by  the  publication  of  an 
interview  in  the  Daily  Telegraph  of  London. 
German  sympathies  before  and  during  the  Boer 
War  had  been  strongly  pro-Boer.  On  the  third  of 
January,  1896,  the  Emperor  had  telegraphed  to 
President  Kriiger:  "I  beg  to  express  to  you  my 
sincere  congratulations  that,  without  help  from 
foreign  powers,  you  have  succeeded  with  your  own 
people  and  by  your  own  strength  in  driving  out 
the  armed  bands  which  attempted  to  disturb  the 
peace  of  your  country  and  in  re-establishing  order 
and  in  defending  the  independence  of  your  people 
from  attacks  from  outside." 

The  German  people  had,  therefore,  assumed 
that  the  Emperor  shared  their  friendhness  toward 
the  Boers  and  that  the  government  was  observing 
a  policy  of  neutrality  at  least.  When  they  learned 
that  his  General  Staff  had  been  called  upon,  and 
that  he  had  prepared  a  plan  of  campaign  against 
the  Boers,  a  universal  shout  of  protest  was  raised. 
The  publication  of  this  interview,  which  was  de- 
signed to  conciUate  England,  had  a  contrary  effect 

267 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

upon  Holland,  and  the  feeling  that  their  ruler  was 
held  down  by  no  sense  of  responsibility  was  borne 
in  forcibly  upon  the  people.  The  matter  was  made 
the  subject  of  innumerable  controversies,  debates 
in  the  Reichstag,  and  investigations.  It  was 
originally  announced  that  the  interview  had  been 
given  to  an  English  diplomat  who  had  retired  to 
private  life.  It  was  discovered  that  such  was  not 
the  case.  It  had  been  granted  to  an  Enghsh 
journaUst  who  had  written  certain  flattering 
articles  about  the  Emperor.  As  for  the  text,  it 
was  admitted  that  it  was  substantially  authentic; 
it  had  been  shown  to  and  had  practically  received 
the  vise  of  the  German  Foreign  OflRce.  The  Em- 
peror's Chancellor,  however,  had  not  seen  the 
interview  and  under  the  storm  of  criticism  of- 
fered his  resignation.  This  the  Emperor  did  not 
accept,  and  the  Chancellor  attempted  to  defend 
the  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs.  The  Emperor 
withdrew  and  for  a  time,  like  Achilles,  pondered  in 
his  tent.  Even  the  Chancellor  had  to  admit  the 
Emperor's  indiscretion  and  to  inform  his  sovereign 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to  carry  out  any  con- 
sistent foreign  policy  if  the  Emperor  did  not  ob- 
serve a  proper  reserve  in  his  public  and  private 
utterances. 

Any  number  of  projects  were  presented  in  the 
November  debates  of  the  Reichstag  for  changing 
the  Constitution,  to  bring  about  co-operation  be- 
tween the  Reichstag  and  the  Emperor  in  the  ap- 
pointment and  dismissal  of  Chancellors  and  dec- 
larations of  war,  and  for  introducing  a  law  to 
bring  about  ministerial  responsibility.     Nothing 

268 


1908]       "DAILY  TELEGRAPH"  INTERVIEW 

came  of  these,  however,  and  we  shall  see  from  the 
Konigsberg  speech  (August  25,  1910)  that  the 
chastening  which  the  Emperor  had  received  on  this 
occasion  had  no  particularly  lasting  eflPect.  Al- 
though both  the  interview  and  the  telegram  are 
undoubtedly  authentic  (the  interview  was  pub- 
hshed  in  official  government  organs  in  Germany, 
like  the  Norddeutsche  Allgemeine  Zeitung,  and  by 
the  Wolff  Bureau),  they  are  not  included  in  any 
official  collection  of  the  Emperor's  utterances,  and 
Penzler,  of  course,  does  not  print  them  with  the 
speeches.  The  interview  as  here  given  is  taken 
from  the  account  of  the  London  Times,  of  October 
29,  1908. 

The  Emperor,  who  is  stated  to  have  spoken 
with  "impulsive  and  unusual  frankness,"  began 
by  declaring  that  "Enghshmen,  in  giving  the  rein 
to  suspicions  unworthy  of  a  great  nation,''  were 
"mad  as  March  hares."  "What  more  can  I  do," 
he  asked,  "than  I  have  done?  I  declared  with  all 
the  emphasis  at  my  command,  in  my  speech  at 
Guildhall,  that  my  heart  is  set  upon  peace  and 
that  it  is  one  of  my  dearest  wishes  to  hve  on  the 
best  of  terms  with  England. 

"My  task  is  not  of  the  easiest.  The  prevailing 
sentiment  among  large  sections  of  the  middle  and 
lower  classes  of  my  own  people  is  not  friendly  to 
England.  I  am,  therefore,  so  to  speak,  in  a 
minority  in  my  own  land,  but  it  is  a  minority  of 

269 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Oct. 

the  best  elements,  just  as  it  is  in  England  with 
respect  to  Germany.  That  is  another  reason  why 
I  resent  your  refusal  to  accept  my  pledged  word 
that  I  am  the  friend  of  England." 

The  writer  reminded  his  Majesty  that  *'not 
England  alone,  but  the  whole  of  Europe,  had 
viewed  with  disapproval  the  recent  action  of  Ger- 
many in  allowing  the  German  consul  to  return 
from  Tangier  to  Fez."  His  Majesty  replied, 
"with  a  gesture  of  impatience,"  that  German 
subjects  in  Fez  were  *' crying  for  help  and  pro- 
tection." 

*' And  why  not  send  him  .?  Are  those  who  charge 
Germany  with  having  stolen  a  march  on  the  other 
powers  aware  that  the  French  consular  represen- 
tative had  already  been  in  Fez  for  several  months 
when  Doctor  Vassel  set  out .?" 

The  Emperor  then  reverted  to  "the  subject 
uppermost  in  his  mind — his  proved  friendship  for 
England."  It  was  commonly  believed  in  England, 
he  said,  that  during  the  South  African  War  Ger- 
many had  been  consistently  hostile  to  her.  Ger- 
man opinion,  he  admitted,  was  hostile — "bitterly 
hostile";  but  not  so  official  Germany.  In  fact, 
while  other  European  peoples  had  received  and 
feted  the  Boer  delegates  who  came  to  solicit  Euro- 
pean intervention,  he  alone  had  refused  to  receive 
them  at  Berlin,  "where  the  German  people  would 

270 


I9081       "DAILY  TELEGRAPH"   INTERVIEW 

have  crowned  them  with  flowers."  His  Majesty 
continued  : 

"Again,  when  the  struggle  was  at  its  height,  the 
German  Government  was  invited  by  the  govern- 
ments of  France  and  Russia  to  join  with  them  in 
calHng  upon  England  to  put  an  end  to  the  war. 
The  moment  had  come,  they  said,  not  only  to  save 
the  Boer  republics,  but  also  to  humiliate  England 
to  the  dust.  What  was  my  reply .?  I  said  that  so 
far  from  Germany  joining  in  any  concerted  Euro- 
pean action  to  put  pressure  upon  England  and 
bring  about  her  downfall,  Germany  would  always 
keep  aloof  from  politics  that  could  bring  her  into 
complications  with  a  sea  power  like  England.  Pos- 
terity will  one  day  read  the  exact  terms  of  the 
telegram — now  in  the  archives  of  Windsor  Castle 
— in  which  I  informed  the  sovereign  of  England 
of  the  answer  I  had  returned  to  the  powers  which 
then  sought  to  compass  her  fall.  Englishmen  who 
now  insult  me  by  doubting  my  word  should  know 
what  were  my  actions  in  the  hour  of  their  ad- 
versity." 

These  were  not  the  only  proofs  which  his  Maj- 
esty had  given  of  sympathy  with  the  British  cause: 

"Just  at  the  time  of  your  Black  Week,  in  the 
December  of  1899,  when  disasters  followed  one 
another  in  rapid  succession,  I  received  a  letter 
from  Queen  Victoria,   my  revered  grandmother, 

271 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

written  in  sorrow  and  affliction,  and  bearing  mani- 
fest traces  of  the  anxieties  which  were  preying 
upon  her  mind  and  health.  I  at  once  returned  a 
sympathetic  reply.  Nay,  I  did  more.  I  bade  one 
of  my  officers  procure  for  me  as  exact  an  account 
as  he  could  obtain  of  the  number  of  combatants  in 
South  Africa  on  both  sides,  and  of  the  actual  posi- 
tion of  the  opposing  forces.  With  the  figures  before 
me,  I  worked  out  what  I  considered  to  be  the  best 
plan  of  campaign  under  the  circumstances,  and  sub- 
mitted it  to  my  General  Staff  for  their  criticism. 
Then  I  despatched  it  to  England,  and  that  docu- 
ment, likewise,  is  among  the  state  papers  at 
Windsor  Castle,  awaiting  the  serenely  impartial 
verdict  of  history.  And,  as  a  matter  of  curious 
coincidence,  let  me  add  that  the  plan  which  I 
formulated  ran  very  much  on  the  same  Hues  as 
that  which  was  actually  adopted  by  Lord  Roberts 
and  carried  by  him  into  successful  operation." 
In  conclusion,  his  Majesty  dwelt  upon  the  im- 
portance to  Germany  of  a  powerful  fleet.  Ger- 
many must  be  able  to  protect  her  growing  com- 
merce and  manifold  interests  "in  even  the  most 
distant  seas."  "Germany,"  he  went  on,  "looks 
ahead.  She  must  be  prepared  for  any  eventuali- 
ties in  the  far  East.  Who  can  foresee  what  may 
take  place  in  the  Pacific  in  the  days  to  come?" 
Looking  to  the  accomplished  rise  of  Japan  and  the 

272 


1908]  COUNT  ZEPPELIN 

possible  national  awakening  of  China,  he  urged 
that  "only  those  powers  which  have  great  navies 
will  be  listened  to  with  respect  when  the  future  of 
the  Pacific  comes  to  be  solved,"  and  that  even 
England  herself  may  welcome  the  existence  of  a 
German  fleet  *^when  they  speak  together  on  the 
same  side  in  the  great  debates  of  the  future." 


THE  EMPEROR  AND  COUNT  ZEPPELIN 

Manzell,  November  io,  1908 

With  Prince  Fiirstenbergthe  Emperor  journeyed 
from  Donaueschingen  to  Manzell  in  order  to  be 
present  at  a  flight  of  the  dirigible  Z-i.  Count  Zep- 
pelin received  the  Emperor  and  conducted  him  in  a 
motor-boat  to  the  dirigible  hangar.  Prince  Furs- 
tenberg,  Admiral  von  Miiller,  and  General  von 
Plessen  ascended  with  the  count.  The  Emperor 
did  not  make  the  flight.  After  the  landing  of  the 
airship  he  bestowed  upon  Count  Zeppelin  the  order 
of  the  Black  Eagle  with  the  following  words: 

In  my  name  and  in  the  name  of  our  entire  Ger- 
man people  I  heartily  congratulate  your  Excel- 
lency on  this  magnificent  work  which  you  have  so 
wonderfully  displayed  before  me  to-day.  Our 
Fatherland  can  be  proud  to  possess  such  a  son — 
the  greatest  German  of  the  twentieth  century — 
who  through  his  invention  has  brought  us  to  a  new 

273 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [June 

point  in  the  development  of  the  human  race.  It  is 
not  too  much  to  say  that  we  have  to-day  Hved 
through  one  of  the  greatest  moments  in  the  evolu- 
tion of  human  culture.  I  thank  God,  with  all 
Germans,  that  he  has  considered  our  people  worthy 
to  name  you  one  of  us.  Might  it  be  permitted  to 
us  all,  as  it  has  been  to  you,  to  be  able  to  say  with 
pride  in  the  evening  of  our  life,  that  we  had  been 
successful  in  serving  our  dear  Fatherland  so  fruit- 
fully !  As  a  token  of  my  admiring  recognition, 
which  certainly  all  your  guests  gathered  here  share 
with  the  entire  German  people,  I  bestow  upon  you 
herewith  my  high  Order  of  the  Black  Eagle. 
[Then  followed  the  investing  by  his  Majesty  and 
the  head  marshal.  Prince  Fiirstenberg.]  Now 
allow  me,  my  dear  count,  to  bestow  unofficially 
upon  you  the  accolade !  [Embraces  him  three 
times.]  His  Excellency,  Count  Zeppelin,  the  Con- 
queror of  the  Air — Hurrah  ! 

REGATTA  AT  HAMBURG 

Hamburg,  June  22,  1909 

The  Emperor,  as  an  enthusiastic  yachtsman, 
has  made  it  a  point  to  be  present,  as  we  have  seen, 
at  nearly  all  of  the  Hamburg  regattas.  As  he  was 
this  year  to  visit  the  Czar  in  the  furtherance  of  his 
"personal  diplomacy,"  he  had  already  been  forced 
to  decline  their  invitation;   but  finding  it  possible 

274 


1909]  REGATTA  AT  HAMBURG 

to  attend  at  the  last  moment,  he  made  all  possible 
speed  to  arrive  at  Hamburg,  where  his  recently 
constructed  yacht  Meteor  was  to  make  her 
first  start.  The  banquet,  at  which  the  Emperor 
spoke,  took  place  on  board  the  Hamburg-American 
Liner  Deutschland. 

Your  Magnificence: 

I  pray  you  accept  my  most  cordial  and  heartfelt 
thanks  for  this  friendly  greeting  in  the  midst  of 
men  so  well  known  and  sympathetic  to  me.  It 
was,  indeed,  a  severe  struggle  of  conscience  for 
me,  placed  between  my  duty  and  my  pleasure,  to 
have  to  give  up  eventually  the  pleasure  of  being 
the  guest  of  Hamburg.  But  it  goes  without  saying 
that,  as  compared  with  the  welfare  of  the  realm, 
personal  wishes  must  be  silent,  and  with  a  heavy 
heart  I  decided,  therefore,  to  send  word  that  it 
would  not  be  possible  for  me  to  be  your  guest  and 
take  part  in  the  series  of  sports.  Happily,  how- 
ever, things  arranged  themselves  favorably.  That 
ship  which  you  all  know,  delivered  to  me  by 
Vulcan,  my  yacht  Hohenzollern,  has  again  com- 
peted with  her  ancient  and  renowned  reputation. 
We  hurried  and  flew  through  the  Baltic,  and  what 
the  yacht  could  not  accomplish  the  railroad  took 
care  of;  and  so  it  was  possible  for  me  to  arrive  in 
time  for  the  splendid  arrangements  for  the  Ham- 
burg  racing  day   and,   while   responding   to   the 

275 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

wishes  of  M.  S.,*  at  the  same  time  to  enter  again 
that  circle  of  men  and  women  whom  I  prize  so 
highly.  It  is  my  duty  on  the  present  day  to  ex- 
press my  deepest  gratitude  to  the  city  of  Hamburg 
for  her  warm  and  hearty  reception,  which  seems  to 
increase  from  year  to  year,  if  that  be  possible. 
I  must  also  express  my  appreciation  of  the  hospi- 
tality extended  to  me  in  the  house  of  your  Mag- 
nificence, and  also  for  the  beautiful  boat  which  I 
have  received  from  the  hands  of  a  Hamburg 
master  of  his  craft.  We  have,  therefore,  at  last 
before  us  the  proof  for  which  I  have  been  striving 
for  years — that,  just  as  in  the  building  of  war-ships 
and  of  liners,  so  too,  in  yacht  construction,  we 
now  stand  upon  our  own  feet.  It  is  a  worthy 
vessel,  built  with  German  hands,  out  of  German 
materials,  and  manned  from  stem  to  stern  by 
German  men.  I  hope  that  before  the  year  is  out 
she  will  clip  the  waves  and  show  herself  to  ad- 
vantage in  foreign  ports.  We  follow  sport  here, 
and  not  politics;  but  your  Magnificence  has  been 
good  enough  to  touch  upon  points  which  now 
deeply  move  all  German  hearts.  I  still  hope  that 
the  sense  of  collective  responsibility  will,  in  the 
hearts  of  the  representatives  of  our  people,  be 
stronger  than  party  feeling,  for  I  assume  that  no 

*  Max  Schlnckel,  president  of  the  Racing  Club,  who  had  invited 
the  Emperor. 

276 


1909]  REGATTA  AT  HAMBURG 

one  among  you  wishes  to  take  upon  his  shoulders 
the  responsibility  of  thwarting  a  reform  which  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  Fatherland's  internal 
and  external  welfare.  [Bravo!]  You  have  followed 
with  interest  my  journey  to  the  Finnish  coast, 
where  I  was  so  warmly  and  hospitably  received  by 
his  IVIajesty,  the  Emperor  of  All  the  Russias,  and 
by  his  people.  I  am  pleased  to  be  in  a  position 
to  give  you,  as  representatives  of  the  commercial 
and  business  world,  the  following  interpretation  of 
the  significance  of  that  visit,  since  you  are  partic- 
ularly interested  in  the  peaceful  shaping  of  the 
future.  His  IMajesty,  the  Emperor,  and  myself 
have  agreed  that  our  meeting  is  to  be  looked  upon 
as  an  important  pledge  of  peace.  As  monarchs 
we  consider  ourselves  responsible  to  God  for  the 
weal  and  woe  of  our  people,  whom  we  wish  to  ad- 
vance as  far  as  possible  along  peaceful  paths  and 
bring  to  fullest  fruition.  All  peoples  need  peace 
in  order  that  under  its  protection  they  may  devote 
their  undisturbed  attention  to  the  great  cultural 
problems  of  their  economic  and  commercial  de- 
velopment. For  this  reason  we  shall  strive  as  far 
as  lies  in  our  power  to  work,  with  the  help  of  God, 
for  the  furtherance  and  maintenance  of  peace. 
Naturally,  in  such  a  time,  sport  also  can  be  de- 
veloped to  the  fullest  degree.  I  therefore  empty 
my  glass  to  the  hospitable  city  of  Hamburg  and 

277 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Sept. 

to  my  colleagues  who  are  here  assembled.  Three 
hurrahs  for  the  city  of  Hamburg  and  the 
Hamburg-American  Line !  Hurrah !  Hurrah ! 
Hurrah ! 

REVIEW  OF  THE  FOURTEENTH  ARMY 
CORPS 

Karlsruhe,  September  ii,  1909 

The  following  address  was  deHvered  at  Karls- 
ruhe by  the  Emperor  after  his  return  from  Austria 
in  1909. 

I  extend  to  you  my  heartiest  thanks  for  the 
friendly  words  of  welcome  which  in  the  name  of  the 
citizens  of  Karlsruhe  you  have  offered  me.  I  have 
so  often  stopped  here  at  Karlsruhe  that  I  am  no 
longer  a  stranger  among  you.  With  you  I  have 
lived  through  joyful  and  sorrowful  days.  On  the 
present  day,  as  you  have  said,  I  am  here  to  inspect 
this  portion  of  our  army.  We  Germans  are  a 
people  who  rejoice  in  weapons  and  who  lightly 
and  joyfully  wear  our  uniforms,  because  we  know 
that  it  preserves  the  peace  for  us  in  which  alone 
our  work  can  prosper.  The  review  from  which  I 
have  just  returned  showed  me  the  soldierly  sons  of 
Baden,  who,  commanded  by  their  distinguished 
sovereign,  have  given  me  the  deepest  satisfaction. 
As  long  as  there  are  wars  our  army  constitutes  the 
^^ rocker  de  bronze''  upon  which  peace  is  based. 

278 


1909]  EMPEROR   BY  DIVINE   RIGHT 

Our  army  serves  to  protect  it  and  to  maintain  the 
position  in  the  world  which  is  rightfully  ours. 
For  this  purpose  also  such  strenuous  days  of  effort 
are  devoted  to  its  development.  I  am  convinced 
that,  if  need  arises,  with  the  help  of  God  and  under 
His  protection,  it  will  give  a  fitting  account  of  it- 
self. I  ask  you,  Herr  Burgomaster,  to  be  the  in- 
terpreter of  my  thanks  and  of  those  of  her  Majesty, 
the  Empress,  for  the  splendid  and  hearty  reception 
which  the  citizens  of  Karlsruhe  have  offered  us. 


EMPEROR  BY  DIVINE  RIGHT 

KONIGSBERG,    AuGUST    25,    I9IO 

It  was  at  Konigsberg  that  the  coronation  of  the 
Emperor's  grandfather  took  place,  or  rather,  it  was 
here  that  William  I  crowned  himself  King  of 
Prussia.  This  express  disclaimer  of  any  responsi- 
bility to  the  people  may  be  found  in  several 
speeches,  but  nowhere  was  the  ex  me  mea  nata 
coro7ia  attitude  more  forcibly  expressed  than  on 
this  occasion.  Ordinarily  there  had  been  no  cor- 
onations in  Prussia,  as  they  were  considered  a 
useless  expense.  As  the  predecessor  of  Emperor 
William  I  had  granted  the  people  a  constitution, 
William  I  was  evidently  going  to  insist  upon  his 
prerogative  and  did  so  by  taking  the  crown  unto 
himself  and  making  his  famous  statement.  His 
conduct  and  that  of  his  predecessors  has  been 
discussed  in  chapter  I. 

279 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Aug. 

My  heart  bids  me  express  to  the  men  of  this 
province  the  pleasure  which  her  Majesty  and  I 
feel  on  finding  ourselves  again  within  the  borders 
of  this  beautiful  country  and  on  having  been  re- 
ceived with  such  enthusiasm  by  the  citizens  of 
our  loyal  city  and  of  the  province.  The  sentiment 
that  finds  expression  now  in  Konigsberg  proves 
that  it  is  an  entirely  unique  bond  which  joins  the 
city  and  the  province  to  our  house.  And,  in  fact, 
if  one  looks  back  upon  the  history  of  the  country 
and  of  the  house  it  becomes  evident  that  great 
and  important  portions  are  common  to  both.  Here 
it  was  that  the  Great  Elector,  by  his  own  right, 
created  himself  the  sovereign  Duke  in  Prussia; 
here  his  son  set  the  King's  crown  upon  his  head; 
and  the  sovereign  house  of  Brandenburg  thus 
became  one  of  the  European  powers.  Frederick 
William  I  established  here  his  authority  as 
"rocher  de  bronze'';  under  Frederick  the  Great, 
the  province  shared  in  the  joys  and  sorrows  of  his 
reign.  Then  came  the  difficult  time  of  trial.  The 
great  soldier  Emperor  of  the  French  resided  here, 
and  after  the  power  of  Prussia  had  been  shattered 
he  let  both  the  city  and  the  country  feel  his  merci- 
less hand.  Here,  however,  the  thoughts  of  raising 
up  and  freeing  the  Fatherland  were  first  put  into 
action.    After  Tauroggen,*  when  the  old,  unyield- 

*  In  1812  Prussia  was  ostensibly  an  ally  of  France.  It  was 
due  to  General  York,  the  commander  of  the  Prussian  Auxiliaries, 

280 


i9io]  EMPEROR   BY  DIVINE   RIGHT 

ing  York  stirred  up  the  people  with  his  flaming 
speeches,  came  the  courageous  decision  of  the 
Prussian  Diet  to  begin  the  work  of  liberation. 
And  here  my  grandfather,  again,  by  his  own  right, 
set  the  Prussian  crown  upon  his  head,  once  more 
distinctly  emphasizing  the  fact  that  it  was  ac- 
corded him  by  the  will  of  God  alone  and  not  by 
parliament  or  by  any  assemblage  of  the  people 
or  by  popular  vote,  and  that  he  thus  looked  upon 
himself  as  the  chosen  instrument  of  Heaven  and  as 
such  performed  his  duties  as  regent  and  sovereign. 
And  adorned  with  this  crown,  forty  years  ago,  he 
rode  forth  to  battle  to  win  the  Emperor's  crown 
also.  Truly  it  was  a  long  way  to  the  time  of  the 
famous  telegram  of  the  Emperor  to  my  late  grand- 
mother: "What  a  change  through  the  providence 
of  God!''  This  picture  would,  however,  be  in- 
complete if  I  did  not  mention  one  figure  which 
especially  in  that  year  had  occupied  and  gripped 
anew  the   Prussians   and,  I  may  truly  say,  the 

rather  than  to  the  Emperor's  somewhat  pusillanimous  ancestor, 
King  Frederick  William,  that  Prussia  was  liberated  from  the  rule 
of  Napoleon.  York  commanded  the  Prussian  troops  who  were  to 
serve  as  auxiliaries  to  Napoleon.  On  December  30,  1812,  he,  on 
his  own  authority,  concluded  the  convention  of  Tauroggen  with  the 
Russians  by  which  he  broke  with  the  French  and  declared  his  corps 
neutral.  The  vacillating  Prussian  King,  in  spite  of  his  country's 
humiliation,  was  too  solicitous  about  maintaining  his  throne  to  dare 
venture  upon  any  really  decisive  action.  It  was  popular  pressure 
far  more  than  the  King's  (or  even  the  Queen's)  initiative  which 
brought  about  the  national  uprising  against  foreign  domination. 

281 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

whole  German  people.  It  Is  not  possible  to  think 
of  the  time  of  our  collapse  and  our  revival,  without 
remembering  the  figure  of  Queen  Louise.  The 
people  of  the  city  of  Konigsberg  and  the  province 
of  East  Prussia  likewise  saw  this  angel  in  human 
form  wandering  among  them  and  they  were  in- 
fluenced by  her  and  helped  her  to  bear  her 
grievous  ills.  The  noble  Queen  has  been  de- 
scribed by  many  as  going  about  among  her  sub- 
jects, and  our  people  hold  her  in  grateful  remem- 
brance. But  I  think  that  one  thing  cannot  be 
sufficiently  emphasized,  and  that  is  that  in  the 
general  shattering  of  our  Fatherland,  when  even 
the  statesmen  and  leaders  of  the  army  gave  up 
everything  as  lost,  the  Queen  was  the  only  one  who 
never  for  one  moment  doubted  for  the  future  of 
the  Fatherland.  Through  her  example,  through 
her  letters,  through  her  conversation,  and  through 
the  bringing  up  of  her  children  she  showed  the 
people  the  way  in  which  to  find  themselves  again. 
She  showed  them  the  way  back  to  religion  and 
with  it  to  a  recognition  of  and  a  confidence  in 
themselves.  She  encouraged  our  people  in  the 
thought  of  rallying  about  the  King  again  and  of 
winning  back  our  freedom.  And  after  she — a 
noble  martyr — had  faded  away  and  enthusiasm 
flamed  forth  in  the  land  again  and  old  and  young 
seized  their  weapons  to  drive  the  intruder  from 

282 


i9io]  EMPEROR  BY  DIVINE  RIGHT 

the  country,  then,  in  spirit,  she  marched  before 
the  colors  and  inspired  the  warriors  with  courage 
that  the  great  work  could  be  accomplished.  What 
does  the  noble  figure  of  Queen  Louise  teach  us  ? 
It  teaches  us  that,  as  she  once  imbued  her  sons 
with  the  one  thought  of  restoring  the  country's 
honor  and  of  defending  the  Fatherland,  so  we  men 
should  cultivate  all  warlike  virtues.  As  in  the 
time  of  the  liberation  young  and  old  rallied  to  the 
standard  and  gave  everything  they  had — when 
even  women  and  girls  did  not  spare  their  hair — 
so  we  must  ever  be  prepared  and  keep  our  equip- 
ment intact,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  neighbor- 
ing powers  have  made  such  astounding  progress. 
For  only  upon  our  preparedness  does  our  peace 
rest.  And  what  shall  our  wives  learn  from  the 
Queen  ^  They  will  learn  that  the  chief  duty  of 
German  women  lies  not  in  the  province  of  meetings 
and  club  life,  not  in  reaching  out  after  imaginary 
rights  so  that  they  may  do  as  men  do,  but  in  the 
quiet  work  in  the  house  and  in  the  family.  They 
are  to  educate  the  younger  generation,  especially 
in  obedience  and  in  respect  toward  their  elders. 
They  are  to  make  clear  to  their  children  and  to 
their  children's  children  that  it  is  not  a  question 
to-day  of  living  their  own  life  at  the  expense  of 
others  or  of  achieving  their  own  aims  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the    Fatherland,   but    that   they    must 

283 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

singly  and  solely  keep  the  Fatherland  before  their 
eyes  and  singly  and  solely  devote  all  their  powers 
and  their  thoughts  to  the  good  of  the  Fatherland. 
That  is  the  lesson  which  has  been  bequeathed  to  us 
by  this  noble  figure  whom  the  Fatherland  and  the 
citizens  of  this  city  have  so  beautifully  described 
on  her  simple  monument  as  **the  good  genius  of 
the  Prussian  people."  I  cherish  the  hope  that  all 
of  the  people  of  East  Prussia  who  have  gathered 
here  will  understand  me  and  that,  as  they  return 
again  to  their  work  and  their  occupation,  they  will 
think  of  these  things.  We  must  co-operate  for  the 
good  of  the  Fatherland,  no  matter  who  and  where 
we  are.  And  for  me,  too,  the  conduct  of  this  van- 
ished Queen  will  be  an  example,  as  it  was  for  my 
grandfather.  Looking  upon  myself  as  the  in- 
strument of  the  Lord,  without  regard  for  daily 
opinions  and  intentions,  I  go  my  way,  which  is 
devoted  solely  and  alone  to  the  welfare  and  peace- 
ful development  of  the  Fatherland.  But  in  this 
work  I  need  the  co-operation  of  every  one  in  the 
country  and  to  this  co-operation  I  would  like  to 
invite  you  also.  I  empty  my  glass  in  the  hope 
that  this  attitude  may  ever  prevail  in  the  province 
of  East  Prussia  and  that  it  may  lend  me  its  as- 
sistance in  my  labors.  Long  live  the  province  of 
East  Prussia ! — Long  may  she  prosper ! 


284 


1910]  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  BERLIN 

THE  HUNDREDTH  ANNIVERSARY  OF  THE 
FOUNDING  OF  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 
BERLIN 

Berlin,  October  ii,  1910 

The  active  interest  which  the  Emperor  has  al- 
ways taken  in  higher  education  in  Germany  is 
evident  in  the  following  address.  If  he  has  given 
it  a  powerful  organization  he  has  taken  from  it  by 
unconscious  processes  a  large  measure  of  its  earlier 
freedom.  The  professorial  caste  has  always  been 
highly  influential.  During  the  Emperor's  reign  it 
has  been  pressed  into  his  service.  Its  present 
system  of  organization  and  its  connection  with 
the  government  puts  the  Emperor,  or  at  least 
the  minister  appointed  by  him,  in  a  position  to 
distribute  rewards.  It  is  said  that  there  are  prac- 
tically no  Social  Democrats  teaching  in  higher 
institutions  of  learning. 

In  the  early  years  of  its  foundation  the  univer- 
sity of  BerHn  rendered  immense  services  to  the 
patriotic  cause,  especially  through  the  work  of 
Fichte  and  Schleiermacher. 

To  my  loyal  Frederick-William  University,  I 
offer  greeting  and  congratulations  on  this  its 
hundredth  anniversary ! 

From  the  day  of  its  founding  its  fortunes  have 
been  intimately  bound  up  with  those  of  the  Prus- 
sian-German Fatherland.  When  my  ancestor 
King    Frederick  William  III  called    it    into    ex- 

28c 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

istence  a  hundred  years  ago,  he  did  so  in  order  to 
compensate  the  state  with  spiritual  powers  for 
what  she  had  lost  in  physical  power.  Thus  the 
University  of  Berlin  was  born  out  of  the  same 
creative  genius  from  which  sprung  the  regenera- 
tion of  Prussia.  And  this  spirit,  which  raised  up 
Prussian  Germany  and  which  lived  in  Fichte, 
Schleiermacher,  Savigny,  and  their  friends,  made 
the  university  even  in  a  few  years  the  centre  of 
the  spiritual  and  intellectual  Hfe  of  the  Father- 
land. 

Truly,  the  University  of  Berlin  was  still  far 
from  being  a  universitas  litterarum  in  the  sense  of 
WilHam  von  Humboldt,  but  it  has  come  ever 
nearer  and  nearer  to  this  ideal.  A  stronghold  of 
wisdom,  she  has  won,  far  beyond  the  boundaries 
of  Prussia  and  Germany,  an  international  signif- 
icance. Through  the  exchange  of  teachers  and 
students  these  relations  are  visible  externally. 
Through  the  activity  which  it  shares  in  common 
with  the  rest  of  the  universities  of  the  country  it 
now  forms  the  "general  institute  of  learning" 
which  was  intended  at  its  founding. 

In  the  meantime  Humboldt's  plan,  which  com- 
prised besides  the  university  the  totality  of  in- 
tellectual institutions,  has  not  yet  come  to  com- 
plete realization,  and  these  hours  of  consecration 
seem  to  me  especially  fitted  for  preparing  the  way 

286 


i9io]  THE   UNIVERSITY  OF   BERLIN 

for  the  completion  of  what  appeared  to  him  as 
the  goal. 

His  great  educational  plan  demanded,  besides 
the  academies  of  learning  and  the  university,  in- 
dependent institutes  for  research  as  an  integral 
part  of  the  general  educational  organization.  The 
founding  of  such  institutions  has  not  kept  pace  in 
Prussia  with  the  development  of  the  universities, 
and  this  defect,  especially  in  our  natural-science 
equipment,  is  becoming  more  and  more  noticeable 
as  a  result  of  the  pow^erful  forging  ahead  of  the 
sciences.  We  need  institutions  which  reach  out 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  universities,  institutions 
untrammelled  by  aims  of  instruction,  yet  in  close 
touch  with  the  academy  and  the  university,  which 
shall  serve  entirely  for  research. 

To  call  such  research  institutes  into  being  as 
soon  as  possible  seems  to  me  a  sacred  duty  of  the 
present,  and  I  hold  it  as  my  task,  as  father  of  my 
country,  to  bespeak  the  general  interest  for  this 
undertaking.  This  high  aim  requires  great  ex- 
pense and  can  be  accomplished  only  if  all  circles 
interested  in  the  progress  of  the  sciences  and  in  the 
welfare  of  the  Fatherland  are  ready  to  co-operate 
in  this  significant  task  and  to  make  sacrifices  for 
it.  I  should  like,  therefore,  to-day  to  lay  upon  the 
conscience  and  place  before  the  eyes  of  every  one 
the  new  aim  with  the  impressive  warning:    ^^  Tua 

287 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

res  agiturJ'  I  hope  and  firmly  trust  that  this  work 
will  succeed;  indeed,  although  the  plans  have 
been  disclosed  only  to  a  limited  circle,  from 
various  parts  of  the  country  I  have  already  re- 
ceived enthusiastic  expressions  of  support  and 
very  considerable  means;  between  nine  and  ten 
million  [marks]  have  been  placed  at  my  disposal. 
I  feel  the  need  of  expressing  here  in  this  place  my 
warmest  thanks  to  these  unselfish  donors. 

But  to  secure  lasting  support  for  this  under- 
taking, it  is  my  wish,  under  my  protection  and  my 
name,  to  found  a  society  which  shall  set  for  itself 
the  task  of  erecting  and  maintaining  institutions 
for  research.  To  this  society  I  will  gladly  turn 
over  the  money  given  me  for  that  purpose.  To 
see  to  it  that  the  institutions  so  founded  shall  not 
lack  help  from  the  state  will  be  the  care  of  my 
reign.* 

So  may  to-day  be  not  only  an  occasion  of 
jubilation  for  the  University  of  Berlin,  but  may  it 
also  signify  a  further  step  in  the  development  of 
German  spiritual  life! 

And  still  one  wish  more  I  give  to  the  university 


*0n  the  Emperor's  initiative,  the  Emperor  William  Society  for  the 
furthering  of  the  sciences  was  founded.  It  has  already  called  into 
being  two  scientific  institutes,  the  Emperor  William  Institute  for 
Chemistry  and  the  Emperor  William  Institute  for  Physical  Chemistry 
and  Electrical  Chemistry.  They  were  dedicated  by  the  Emperor, 
October  23,  1912. 

288 


I9I0]  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  BERLIN 

on  its  way  into  a  new  century.  May  she,  in  loyal 
remembrance  of  the  time  of  her  founding,  preserve 
her  Prussian-German  character !  Learning  is,  in- 
deed, the  common  property  of  the  whole  cultural 
world,  and  her  acquisitions  to-day  halt  at  no 
boundaries.  And  yet — as  every  nation  must 
preserve  its  own  manner  of  Hfe  if  it  would  em- 
phasize its  independent  existence  and  its  value  for 
the  whole — may  the  alma  mater  Berolinensis  re- 
main forever  conscious  that  she  is  a  German  uni- 
versity. As  formerly,  so  may  she  be  for  all  time 
the  seat  of  German  manners  and  of  German  art ! 
And  may  every  one  who  has  the  honor  to  investi- 
gate, to  teach,  and  to  study  within  her  walls  de- 
vote himself  to  his  task,  filled  with  the  sense  for 
truth  and  for  thoroughness  with  the  earnestness 
and  the  love  for  all  work  which  Goethe  prized  as 
the  ornament  of  our  people. 

May  the  university  further  exercise  her  splendid 
privilege  of  fostering  true  knowledge,  which,  as 
Humboldt  has  so  well  said,  comes  from  man's 
inner  being  to  be  planted  again  in  his  inner  being, 
which  creates  and  reshapes  character.  Let  her 
do  this  with  that  noble  freedom  which  sets  laws 
unto  itself  and  with  that  sense  of  exaltation  which 
comes  from  being  the  administrator  of  a  trea- 
sure which  belongs  to  the  whole  of  humanity. 
''  Communis  hominum  thesaurus  situs  est  in  magnis 

289 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

veritatihus.'"^  But  all  truth  is  God's,  and  His 
spirit  rests  upon  every  work  which  is  grounded  in 
and  strives  toward  the  truth.  May  this  spirit  of 
truth  live  also  in  you  students;  may  it  be  found 
in  all  the  workings  of  my  dear  institution  of  learn- 
ing! Then  will  her  age  be  like  her  youth;  she  shall 
remain  a  city  upon  the  hill,  to  which  the  peoples 
make  pilgrimage,  and  an  ornament  and  treasure 
of  the  Fatherland. 

THE  EMPEROR  IN  BRUSSELS 

October  27,  1910 

The  Emperor  and  Empress,  accompanied  by  the 
Princess  Victoria  Luise,  came  to  Brussels  in  order 
to  repay  the  visit  which  the  King  and  Queen  of 
Belgium  had  made  to  Potsdam  in  May,  1910.  At 
the  time  of  the  visit  of  King  Albert  to  Berhn  the 
Emperor  did  not  take  part  in  the  festivities,  as  he 
was  suffering  from  a  wound  in  the  hand.  The 
honors  were  done  by  the  Crown  Prince.  The  Em- 
peror's speech  at  the  banquet  at  the  Royal  Palace 
in  Brussels  calls  for  no  comment. 

The  sincere  words  of  friendship  which  your 
Majesty,  in  the  name  of  her  Majesty,  the  Queen, 
has  just  addressed  to  us,  the  Empress,  my  daugh- 
ter, and  me,  as  they  sprang  from  warm  hearts  are 

*This  phrase  is  taken  from  Leibnitz's  dedication  of  the  Miscel- 
lanea Berolinensia  to  King  Frederick  I. 

290 


i9io]  THE  EMPEROR  IN   BRUSSELS 

welcomed  by  warm  hearts.  We  remember  with 
greatest  pleasure  the  visit  which  your  Majesties 
made  to  us  last  spring  at  Potsdam,  and  it  was  a 
welcome  duty  of  gratitude  to  return  it  as  soon  as 
possible.  The  brilhant  reception  prepared  for  us 
by  your  Majesties  and  the  Belgian  people  in  this 
splendid  capital  has  stirred  us  to  the  depths  and 
inspires  us  to  heartier  thanks  in  that  we  see  in  it 
an  expression  of  the  close  bond  which  unites  not 
only  our  famiUes  but  our  peoples.  It  is  with 
friendliest  sympathy  that  I  and  all  Germany  follow 
the  astounding  results  which  have  accrued  to  the 
untiring  energy  of  the  Belgian  people  in  all  depart- 
ments of  trade  and  industry,  the  crowning  display 
of  which  we  have  seen  in  the  brilliantly  successful 
World  Exposition  of  this  year.  Belgian  commerce 
embraces  the  whole  circle  of  the  earth,  and  it  is  in 
the  peaceful  work  of  culture  that  Germans  and 
Belgians  everywhere  meet.  Their  cultivation  of 
the  more  spiritual  arts  fills  us  with  similar  wonder 
when  we  behold  to  what  a  conspicuous  place  the 
poets  and  artists  of  Belgium  have  attained.  May 
the  trustful  and  friendly  feelings,  to  which  in  recent 
times  the  relations  of  our  governments  bore  such 
pleasing  evidence,  be  ever  more  closely  preserved! 
From  your  Majesty's  reign  may  happiness  and 
blessing  stream  forth  upon  your  house  and  upon 
your  people!     It  is  with  this  wish,  which  comes 

291 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

from  the  very  depths  of  my  heart,  that  I  propose 
long  Hfe  to  your  Majesties,  the  King  and  Queen 
of  the  Belgians ! 


ALCOHOL  AND  THE  SCHOOLS 

Cassel,  August  19,  191 1 

The  Emperor  had  been  a  student  at  the  Fried- 
richs  Gymnasium  in  Cassel,  and  in  1875  his  parents 
had  presented  a  flag  to  the  school,  which  had  now 
to  be  replaced.  In  turning  over  the  new  flag  to 
the  first  man  in  the  upper  class,  the  Emperor  took 
occasion  to  give  the  students  certain  advice, 
particularly  with  regard  to  the  use  of  alcohoHc 
beverages.  His  attitude  here  marks  a  decided  in- 
novation in  Germany,  and  if  his  address  is  com- 
pared with  the  one  delivered  at  Bonn  (April  24, 
1901),  it  will  be  seen  how  keenly  aware  he  is  of 
the  changing  tendencies  of  the  times. 

I  have  decided  to  have  a  new  flag  woven  for  the 
upper  class  instead  of  the  one  which  my  parents 
bestowed  when  I  was  a  student  and  which  has 
fallen  a  victim  to  time.  The  high  school  has  asked 
to  have  the  old  one  back  again;  I  will  have  it 
mended  so  that  it  may  be  hung.  I  wish  you  to 
remember,  through  it,  that  from  your  walls  and 
your  studies  a  German  Emperor  has  gone  forth. 

You  have  been  busy  with  the  studies  of  antiq- 
uity.    Do  not  lay  too  much  stress  upon  the  in- 

292 


191 1]  ALCOHOL  AND  THE  SCHOOLS 

cidents  of  their  political  life;  for  these  relations 
have  so  changed  that  they  cannot  be  appUed  to 
the  present.  You  may  well  rejoice  in  many  of 
the  great  figures  and  characters  of  antiquity,  but 
Greek  culture  has  one  special  trait  which  no  other 
nation  has  shown.  The  harmony  which  our  own 
time  so  sadly  lacks,  the  Greek  people  showed  in  art, 
in  life,  in  their  motions,  in  their  dress,  yes,  even  in 
their  systems  of  philosophy,  and  in  the  handling 
of  their  problems.  I  especially  advise  you  to  read 
what  Chamberlain  so  trenchantly  says  on  this 
point  in  the  Introduction  to  his  **  Foundations  of 
the  Nineteenth  Century." 

And  then,  above  all,  strive  to  know  the  history 
of  your  Fatherland.  Learn  to  know  the  misery 
of  our  people  in  the  later  years  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
in  the  struggles  between  church  and  state  and  be- 
tween the  princes,  in  the  strife  of  creeds  during  the 
Thirty  Years'  War,  when  our  people  were  trodden 
down  and  brought  into  the  service  of  foreign  peo- 
ples and  dynasties  with  whom  its  interests  had 
nothing  in  common,  until  the  final  great  downfall  in 
the  time  of  Napoleon.  The  year  1870  first  brought 
us  a  united  German  state  again.  And  if  you  enter 
upon  a  political  career,  keep  your  eye  upon  the 
field  as  a  whole,  and  do  not  be  disturbed  by 
parties.  For  these  shove  their  interests  before 
those  of  the  Fatherland  and  often  draw  a  curtain 

293 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

between  you  and  it.  And  if  your  political  efforts 
threaten  to  bewilder  you,  I  advise  you  to  withdraw 
from  them  for  a  time — travel  or  go  on  a  walking 
tour — and  let  Nature  have  her  way.  Then  when 
you  return  you  will  have  a  clearer  vision  of  the 
real  relations.  If  at  any  time  the  waves  overwhelm 
you,  if  the  many  phenomena  of  modern  art  and 
literature  bewilder  and  depress  you,  you  can  al- 
ways turn  to  these  ideals  of  antiquity  as  a  means 
of  recovering  your  balance. 

You  are  now  ready  to  enter  the  university. 
Therefore  I  would  like  to  give  you  one  more  coun- 
sel, which  you  must  not  take  lightly,  for  it  is 
to  me  a  very  serious  matter.  Alcohol  is  a  great 
danger  to  our  people,  which,  believe  me,  gives  me 
great  anxiety.  I  have  led  the  government  now  dur- 
ing twenty-three  years,  and  through  the  reports 
which  pass  through  my  hands  I  know  how  many 
crimes  have  been  committed  through  alcohol. 
Direct  your  gaze  for  a  moment  to  a  neighboring 
land.  The  Americans  are  far  ahead  of  us  in  this. 
At  their  universities  there  they  do  great  things, 
.as  you  may  convince  yourselves,  since  so  many 
students  come  to  us  from  there.  There,  at  the 
reunions  and  at  the  great  academic  gatherings — 
for  instance,  at  the  inauguration  of  a  president — 
no  wine  is  seen  on  the  whole  table;  and  they  get 
along  very  well  without  it.     If  you  enter  the  uni- 

294 


191 1]  INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION 

versity,  steel  your  body  through  sport  and  through 
fencing — a  thing  I  would  blame  in  no  one — or 
through  rowing;  but  do  not  seek  to  make  a  record 
for  yourself  by  seeing  who  can  gulp  down  the 
greatest  number  of  intoxicating  drinks.  Those 
are  customs  which  come  to  us  from  another  time. 
If  you  will  take  this  attitude  in  the  corps  and 
societies,  I  shall  be  grateful  to  you.  We  have  other 
tasks  now  than  they  had  In  former  years  and  must 
strengthen  our  knowledge  of  national  economy 
and  finances.  For  it  is  worth  Germany's  while  to 
protect  her  position  in  the  world,  especially  in  the 
world  market.  Therefore  we  must  all  hold  fast 
together. 

I  herewith  turn  the  flag  over  to  you.  The 
primus  omnium,  so  I  understand,  will  carry  it  and 
will  consider  it  an  honor  that  he  is  the  first  one  to 
do  so. 

INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION 

Hamburg,  August  27,  191 1 

After  a  rehgious  service  for  the  army,  the  Em- 
peror and  Empress  visited  the  race-course  at 
Grossborstel.  The  relations  between  Germany  and 
England  were  becoming  strained.  At  the  time 
of  the  uprising  in  Morocco  on  the  twenty-first 
of  May,  191 1,  the  French  general  Moinier  took 
measures,  so  he  said,  to  protect  Europeans  in 
Morocco  and  later  besieged  certain  native  cities. 

295 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

Germany,  pursuing  her  world-policy,  immediately 
sent  the  gunboat  Panther  and  later  the  cruiser 
Berlin  to  the  harbor  of  Agadir,  and  assumed  a 
threatening  attitude,  as  she  had  done  at  Tangier 
and  as  Admiral  Diedrichs  had  done  at  Manila. 
When  the  EngHsh  made  it  plain  that  they  would 
support  France,  in  accordance  with  the  entente 
reached  in  1904,  with  regard  to  Morocco  and 
Egypt,  feeling  between  the  two  nations  became 
tense  and  has  remained  so.  The  Emperor  here, 
while  insisting  upon  the  place  in  the  sun,  is  at  the 
same  time  insisting  on  friendly  competition.  (See 
the  discussion  of  the  speech  of  March  31,  1905.) 

Your  Magnificence: 

As  often  as  her  Majesty  and  I  have  the  happy 
opportunity  of  coming  to  Hamburg,  it  becomes  our 
duty  to  express  our  gratitude  for  the  joyful  recep- 
tion and  warm,  heartfelt  greeting  which  is  ac- 
corded us  by  all  classes  of  the  Hamburg  citizens. 
We  have  felt  this  again  to-day  and  are  constrained 
to  express  anew  our  thanks  for  the  welcome  on  the 
part  of  the  city.  It  is  an  index  of  how  close  the 
relations  have  become  between  the  citizens  of 
Hamburg  and  our  house.  As  the  highest  com- 
mander of  my  army,  I  would  at  the  same  time  like 
to  express  the  joy  I  take  in  the  fact  that  the  Han- 
seatic  cities  are  now  about  to  express  again  their 
lively  interest  and  their  love  and  fondness  for  the 
regiments  which  bear  their  names.     To  me  it  is  a 

296 


191 1]  INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION 

proof  that  the  relationship  between  the  garrisons 
and  their  cities  is  a  deep  and  a  close  one,  and  that 
they  are  proud  to  give  some  outward  recognition 
for  the  service  which  their  sons  have  rendered  in 
the  past  and  for  the  zeal  which  they  showed  in 
their  work  of  peace. 

When,  yesterday,  the  city  of  Hamburg  enthu- 
siastically greeted  a  portion  of  that  army  which 
has  so  long  maintained  peace,  she  did  a  very 
proper  thing,  for  she  understands  that  under  the 
protection  of  peace  she  can  devote  herself  to  her 
labors.  She  is  a  world  city  and  is  situated  on  one 
of  the  greatest  rivers  of  our  Fatherland,  and  the 
breath  of  the  sea  and  the  wave  beat  of  the  tides 
come  to  her  wharves.  Just  as  for  the  human  body, 
it  is  necessary  for  a  nation  to  breathe  in  order 
to  live.  The  breath  of  the  body  politic  gives 
it  Hfe  and  strength.  This  breath  is  commerce. 
Long  ago  the  far-sighted  Great  Elector  coined  the 
phrase:  "Trade  and  navigation  are  the  two  main 
pillars  of  my  state." 

In  the  twenty-three  years  since  I  mounted  the 
throne  it  has  been  a  pleasure  to  me  to  follow  the 
progress  which  the  Hanseatic  cities  and  especially 
Hamburg  have  achieved  in  their  restless  advance. 
If  I  do  everything  that  I  can  on  my  side  to  help 
the  Hanseatic  cities,  it  is  a  duty  that  I  gladly 

discharge. 

297 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

But  we  need  not  wonder  that  the  great  increase 
of  trade  in  our  newly  united  Fatherland  has  dis- 
quieted many  people  in  the  world.  I,  nevertheless, 
believe  that  in  the  domain  of  commerce  com- 
petition is  healthful;  it  is  necessary  in  order  to 
spur  on  states  and  nations  to  new  achievement. 
Indeed,  it  is  the  same  thing  with  sports,  as  we  have 
seen  to-day  at  the  magnificent  race-course,  where 
before  the  eyes  of  thousands  of  Hamburg's  men 
and  so  many  of  her  beautiful  women  the  officers 
of  my  army  rode  in  competition.  There  we  see  one 
rider  who  in  thought  has  already  won  first  prize, 
and  on  the  right  and  on  the  left  the  next  two  work 
up  to  him  and  it  becomes  an  earnest  contest  be- 
tween the  three.  Then  he  who  up  to  this  point 
was  at  the  head  reaches  for  his  whip,  not  in 
order  to  strike  his  two  rival  riders  but  his  own 
horse,  and  he  gives  him  the  spur.  In  the  same 
way  competition  between  nations  can  be  fought 
out  in  peace. 

The  powerfully  developing  German  fleet  of  war, 
which  is  distinguished  by  its  cult  of  manliness  and 
discipline,  has  in  the  last  decades  been  created  by 
the  German  people  as  a  protection  to  trade  and 
navigation.  It  represents  the  will  of  the  German 
people  to  count  for  something  upon  the  seas.  This 
growing  young  fleet  is  particularly  proud  of  the 
interest  of  Hamburg's  citizens.     If,  then,  I  have 

298 


191 1]  IMPERIAL  GLORIES 

correctly  interpreted  this  expression  of  your  en- 
thusiasm, I  beheve  that  I  dare  assume  that  it  is 
your  purpose  to  further  strengthen  our  fleet  in 
order  that  we  may  be  certain  that  no  one  will  dare 
challenge  the  "place  in  the  sun"  which  should  be 
rightfully  ours.  I,  therefore,  raise  my  glass  to  the 
health  of  the  Hanseatic  cities,  and  especially  to 
Hamburg,  the  greatest  of  them  all !  The  gentle- 
men know  what  I  think  about  Hamburg  and  how 
I  feel  myself  bound  to  her.  And  at  the  risk  of  re- 
peating myself  I  say  it  again:  the  citizens  of  Ham- 
burg and  I  understand  each  other !  The  city  of 
Hamburg — Hurrah  !     Hurrah  !     Hurrah  ! 


IMPERIAL  GLORIES 

Aix,  October  i8,  191  i 

The  special  fondness  of  the  Emperor  for  Aix  is 
indicated  in  the  address  of  June  19,  1902.  With 
his  assistance  the  cathedral  had  been  restored  in 
this  year,  and  a  marble  tablet  had  been  set  up 
in  his  honor.  If  the  Emperor's  father  was  con- 
cerned about  restoring  the  splendor  of  the  crown, 
it  is  also  true  that  he  was  by  nature  one  of  the 
most  liberal  of  the  Hohenzollerns.  The  book 
which  Frederick  I  gave  his  son  to  read  was  in  all 
probabihty  the  magnificent  volume,  "Die  Reichs- 
kleinodien"  by  Doctor  Fr.  Bock,  published  in 
Vienna  in  1864. 

299 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

My  Dear  Burgomaster: 

You  have  strengthened  with  your  friendly  words 
of  greeting  the  deep  impression  which  I  received 
to-day  as  I  found  myself  within  your  walls.  I 
thank  you,  the  city  magistrates  and  the  citizens, 
most  heartily  for  this  memorable  day.  I  do  not 
see  how  the  eightieth  birthday  of  my  father,  who 
was  all  too  soon  taken  from  us,  could  have  been 
celebrated  more  beautifully  than  through  the 
solemn  unveiling  of  the  magnificent  equestrian 
statue  dedicated  to  his  memory,  which  we  owe  to 
the  unselfish  reverence  of  the  citizens  of  Aix  for 
the  favorite  of  the  German  people.  I  congratu- 
late the  city  on  this  new  monument,  which  will 
serve  as  a  bond  and  a  joy  for  generations  yet  un- 
born. It  will  indicate  that,  in  spite  of  all  the  fric- 
tions and  poHtical,  social,  and  rehgious  differences 
of  our  time,  a  firm  bond  of  love  and  trust,  never- 
theless, surrounds  and  binds  together  the  prince 
and  the  people. 

If  ever  a  prince  deserved  a  monument  here  in 
Aix  it  was  my  late  father.  From  my  childhood  I 
had  occasion  to  observe  with  what  interest  he 
devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  the  German  Em- 
perors and  of  their  traditions  and  how  deeply  he 
was  impressed  by  the  power  of  their  position  and 
the  splendor  of  the  old  German  imperial  crown. 
When  as  a  lad  I  played  in  his  room  and  had  earned 

300 


1911]  IMPERIAL  GLORIES 

some  reward  through  my  good  behavior,  he  al- 
lowed me  to  turn  the  leaves  of  a  magnificent 
volume  in  which  were  represented  the  jewels, 
insignia,  robes,  and  weapons  of  the  Emperors,  and 
finally,  in  brilliant  colors,  the  crown  itself.  How 
his  eyes  glistened  when  he  told  stories  of  the  coro- 
nations at  Aix  with  their  ceremonies  and  banquets, 
of  Charlemagne,  of  Barbarossa,  and  their  great- 
ness !  He  always  closed  by  saying:  "That  must 
all  come  again,  the  power  of  the  empire  must  rise, 
and  the  glitter  of  the  Emperor's  crown  must  shine 
forth  once  more.  Barbarossa  must  be  freed  from 
the  tower  again!"  And  it  was  granted  him  by 
Providence  to  play  a  large  part  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  great  work.  On  the  bloody  field  of 
battle  he  helped  his  honored  father  to  win  the 
Emperor's  crown  and  the  unity  of  the  German 
people. 

Educated  by  my  father  for  the  high  position 
which  was  one  day  to  be  mine,  I  grew  up  in  wonder 
and  in  reverence  for  the  Emperor's  crown,  which, 
with  its  burden  and  its  responsibility,  I  have  taken 
over  from  him.  It  is  a  sacred  jewel  from  which, 
under  God's  protection,  many  blessings  have  gone 
forth  upon  the  Fatherland  and  which  has  proved 
itself  a  shield  for  the  national  honor.  All  Ger- 
mans can  look  up  to  it  with  trust,  and  it  will  show 
itself  the  stronger  the  more  it  is  surrounded  and 

301 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR        [Oct.,  191  i 

supported    by    loyal    affection    and    earnest    co- 
operation. 

As  my  forefathers  bestowed  their  special  favor 
upon  Aix,  so  with  me  it  has  always  been  a  pleasure 
to  be  able  to  show  her  my  interest  and  good  wishes, 
within  whose  walls  here,  in  the  extreme  western 
part  of  the  empire,  German  culture  and  German 
manners  have  found  a  place  fortified  by  a  famous 
past  and  traditions  many  hundred  years  old.  May 
the  city  in  the  future  also,  with  her  salutary 
springs  and  beautiful  wooded  hills,  with  her  mani- 
fold industries  and  her  far-reaching  commerce, 
grow,  flourish,  and  prosper!  May  the  citizens, 
through  loyalty  to  God,  King,  and  Fatherland, 
pursue  their  work  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  in- 
dustry in  peace!  The  old  imperial  city  and  her 
loyal  citizens — Hurrah  !     Hurrah  !     Hurrah  ! 


302 


VIII 
LAST   MONTHS  OF  PEACE 

February  7,  1912— June  23,  1914 
OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

Berlin,  February  7,  191 2 

As  a  result  of  the  Morocco  crisis  and  the  increas- 
ing imminence  of  international  difficulties,  the  war 
footing  of  the  German  army  had  been  increased 
to  3,860,000  men.  The  navy  had  been  steadily  ex- 
tended, and  projects  for  further  increases  in  both 
army  and  navy  were  to  be  introduced  at  this 
session  of  the  Reichstag  and  to  be  granted.  The 
question  of  taxation  was  becoming  more  and  more 
serious.  In  view  of  the  project  for  increased 
armament  and  higher  taxation.  Chancellor  von 
Bethmann-HoUweg  had  earnestly  urged  all  parties 
to  unite  against  the  Social  Democrats.  His  efforts 
were  not  nearly  so  successful  as  had  been  those  of 
Billow  in  1907.  One  hundred  and  ten  Social 
Democrats  were  returned.  It  is  perhaps  significant 
that  at  this  session  the  Reichstag  voted  a  bill 
creating  a  German  oil  company,  which  was  to 
conduct  its  operations  under  the  supervision  of  the 
government  and  thus  render  Germany  more  in- 
dependent   of   foreign    countries    in    this    regard. 

303 


THE  GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Feb. 

Honored  Sirs: 

In  the  name  of  the  affihated  governments,  I  bid 
the  newly  elected  Reichstag  welcome  ! 

To  maintain  the  solid  framework  of  the  empire 
and  the  order  of  the  state  undisturbed,  to  increase 
the  welfare  of  the  people  in  all  classes  and  con- 
ditions, to  protect  and  raise  the  strength  and 
credit  of  the  nation  is  the  aim  of  all  my  efforts. 
In  this  I  find  myself  in  accord  with  my  honored 
colleagues,  and  I  cherish  the  conviction  that 
you,  as  the  chosen  representatives  of  the  na- 
tion, will  exert  your  best  powers  in  this  common 
work. 

For  a  generation  past  questions  of  social  reg- 
ulation have  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the 
legislation  of  the  realm.  Even  at  the  last  session 
of  the  previous  Reichstag  the  benefits  of  insurance 
were  extended  to  a  large  portion  of  the  population. 
The  same  social  spirit  with  which  the  work  has 
previously  gone  forward  must  prevail  even  further. 
For  development  does  not  stand  still. 

The  finances  of  the  realm  have  attained  a  firm 
position.  On  the  basis  of  definitely  calculated 
contributions  from  the  states,  we  have  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  balance  in  the  imperial  economy, 
and  by  the  help  of  the  surplus  which  resulted  we 
have  relieved  the  excess  of  the  budget.  By  hold- 
ing fast  to  the  rigorous  policies  in  vogue  up  to  the 

304 


I9I2]  OPENING  OF  THE   REICHSTAG 

present,  the  empire  will  within  a  short  time  arrive 
at  a  complete  restoration  of  its  finances. 

It  fills  me  with  satisfaction  when  I  think  to 
what  a  point  the  free  spirit  of  enterprise  has  at- 
tained in  industry  and  crafts,  in  trade,  and  in 
commerce,  and  how,  through  the  increasing  per- 
fection of  its  technic,  agriculture  has  gradually 
blossomed  forth  again.  In  view  of  this  gratifying 
progress,  the  affihated  governments  will  hence- 
forth not  neglect  to  strengthen  the  foundation  of 
our  customs  policy  by  means  of  alterations  and 
the  addition  of  new  trading  regulations. 

A  project  which  will  be  shortly  put  before  you  is 
to  serve  for  the  strengthening  of  the  German  in- 
terests in  foreign  countries.  It  regulates  depen- 
dence upon  the  empire  and  the  state  in  such  a  way 
that  it  will  be  easier  for  natives  of  Germany  in 
foreign  parts  to  remain  citizens  of  the  empire, 
or,  in  case  they  have  lost  their  imperial  rights,  to 
recover  them  again.* 

The  success  of  our  work  of  peace  at  home  and 

*  This  project  resulted  in  a  law  promulgated  by  the  Emperor  July 
22,  191 3.  It  has  been  made  the  subject  of  considerable  hostile  com- 
ment in  foreign  countries,  as  it  would  seem  under  certain  conditions, 
not  definitely  fixed,  to  permit  a  German  subject  to  divide  his  allegiance. 

Article  17  of  this  law  asserts  that  (German)  citizenship  is  lost 
through  the  acquiring  of  citizenship  in  a  foreign  country.  ^  It,  how- 
ever, refers  to  Article  25,  which  makes  the  following  conditions: 

Art.  25,  Sec.  2.  Citizenship  [German]  shall  not  be  lost  by  him 
who,  before  acquiring  citizenship  in  a  foreign  country,  shall,  on  his 
request,  have  received  the  written  permission  to  retain   [German] 

305 


^THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Feb. 

overseas  depends  upon  the  empire's  remaining 
powerful  enough  to  stand  for  and  protect  its  na- 
tional honor,  its  possessions,  and  its  rightful  in- 
terests in  the  world  at  all  times.  On  this  account 
it  is  my  continual  duty  and  care  to  maintain  and 
strengthen  by  land  and  by  sea  the  armies  of  the 
German  people,  which  does  not  lack  young  men 
capable  of  bearing  arms.  Bills  to  this  end  are  in 
preparation  and  will  be  laid  before  you  together 
with  proposals  which  will  provide  for  the  increased 
expenditure.  If,  Honored  Sirs,  you  help  to  carry 
out  this  great  project  you  will  be  doing  the 
Fatherland  a  great  service. 

We  have  given  a  new  proof  of  our  willingness 
to  settle  international  points  of  dispute  amicably 
wherever  this  can  be  done  in  accordance  with  the 
dignity  and  the  interests  of  Germany,  through 
the  conclusion  of  our  agreements  with  France. 
In  addition  to  strengthening  our  alliances  with  the 
Austro-Hungarian  monarchy  and  the  kingdom  of 
Italy,  my  policy  is  directed  toward  the  mainte- 

citizenship  from  the  proper  authority  in  his  home  state.  The  Ger- 
man consul  is  to  be  consulted  before  granting  this  permission. 

Art.  25,  Sec.  3.  The  Imperial  Chancellor,  on  a  vote  of  the  Bun- 
desrat,  can  decree  that  the  permission  specified  in  Section  2,  shall 
not  be  granted  to  persons  who  wish  to  acquire  citizenship  in  a 
specified  foreign  state. 

On  the  face  of  it,  this  decree  would  seem  to  be  open  to  the  inter- 
pretation that  it  lies  within  the  power  of  the  German  Bundesrat  to 
allow  a  man  who  has  ostensibly  acquired  citizenship  in  a  foreign 
country  to  be  counted  as  a  German  citizen. 

306 


I9I2]  BRANDENBURG  ONCE  AGAIN 

nance  of  friendly  relationships  with  all  powers  on 
the  basis  of  mutual  respect  and  good-will. 

I  trust  the  healthy  power  of  the  German  people, 
and,  counting  upon  the  support  of  a  gracious  God, 
I  look  out  hopefully  over  the  struggles  of  the  day 
toward  the  future  of  the  empire.  Therefore,  at 
the  beginning  of  a  new  legislative  session,  I  offer 
you.  Honored  Sirs,  my  greeting  in  the  hope  that 
your  activities  will  be  exerted  for  the  benefit  of 
the  people  and  the  country. 

BRANDENBURG  ONCE  AGAIN 

May  30,  1912 

The  indications  of  particular  good-will  which 
the  Emperor  had  always  exhibited  for  the  Bran- 
denburgers  and  the  marks  of  special  favor  which 
he  had  seemed  to  accord  to  them  have  occasionally 
aroused  a  certain  suspicion,  not  to  say  ill  will,  in 
the  minds  of  some  of  his  South  German  subjects. 
In  his  hereditary  provinces,  Brandenburg  and 
Prussia,  it  will  be  noticed  that  the  Emperor  had 
always  expressed  himself  most  freely  with  regard 
to  his  personal  pretensions  that  he  ruled  by  divine 
right  alone.  The  two  speeches  which  have  been 
most  criticised  in  this  respect  are  the  ones  de- 
livered at  Breslau  (February  3,  1899)  and  Konigs- 
berg  (August  25,  1910).  They  served,  unfortu- 
nately, to  accentuate  the  differences  which  existed 
between  the  subjects  in  various  parts  of  the  empire 
and  to  remind  them  that  they  had  a  Prussian  Em- 

307 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

peror.  If  certain  portions  of  his  audiences  here 
acquiesced  in  these  pretensions  of  their  hereditary 
ruler  and  were  somewhat  proud  of  the  particular 
confidence  he  vouchsafed  to  them,  critics,  and 
even  conservative  critics,  referred  to  these  ideas 
of  ^^GoUesgnadentuniy"  grace-of-Godism,  with 
touches  of  what  was  at  least  irony.  After  the 
unfortunate  crisis  following  the  Daily  Telegraph 
interview  Chancellor  von  Biilow  had  felt  con- 
strained to  request  the  Emperor  *' henceforward  to 
observe,  even  in  private  interviews,  that  reserve 
which  is  indispensable  both  to  the  interests  of  a 
consistent  policy  and  to  the  authority  of  the 
crown."  As  we  have  seen,  in  spite  of  the  Em- 
peror's seeming  acceptance  of  this  necessity,  it  had 
not  modified  to  any  particular  extent  the  tenor  of 
his  speech  at  Konigsberg  in  1910.  It  may  be  that 
by  this  time  (1912)  he  had  taken  the  admonition  to 
heart,  for  it  will  be  noticed  that,  though  we  have 
the  customary  reference  to  Frederick  of  Hohen- 
zollern  and  the  glorification  of  his  ancestors,  and 
also  the  marks  of  special  favor  and  trust  in  the 
Brandenburgers,  we  miss  any  mention  of  the 
theory  of  divine  right. 

La  Fontaine  has  said  that  it  is  difficult  to  please 
every  one  and  his  father.  The  Emperor  must  have 
felt  this  when  he  learned  that  certain  of  his  sub- 
jects, nevertheless,  resented  that  closing  part  of 
his  speech  which  would  seem  to  imply  that  the 
Franco-Prussian  War  was  a  sort  of  family  affair 
through  which  the  grateful  Brandenburgers  de- 
cided to  present  the  imperial  crown  to  their  be- 
loved overlord.     Through  such  an  interpretation 

308 


I9I2]  BRANDENBURG  ONCE  AGAIN 

the  position  and  interests  of  Bavaria,  for  instance, 
became  for  Bavarians  somewhat  too  incidental. 
If,  then,  foreign  critics  have  drawn  a  distinction 
between  Prussia  and  Germany,  the  distinction  has, 
therefore,  a  certain  warrant,  since  it  seems  to  be 
made  by  the  Emperor  himself.  The  heir  to  the 
Bavarian  crown  took  occasion  to  object  in  one  of 
his  speeches  to  the  conception  that  the  affihated 
sovereigns  are  "vassals  of  the  Emperor."  That  he 
should  have  gone  so  far  would  indicate  that,  in  his 
mind  at  least,  there  was  a  disposition  to  make  them 
so.  He  was  even  more  emphatic  in  a  speech  de- 
livered in  May,  1900,  before  the  Association  for 
the  Furtherance  of  Inland  Navigation  in  Bavaria. 
"I  do  not  see,"  he  said,  "why  we,  if  we  belong  to 
the  German  Empire  should  not  enjoy  precisely 
the  same  rights  and  privileges  as  North  Germany, 
for  the  German  Empire  was  welded  together  just 
as  much  through  Bavarian  blood  as  through  the 
blood  of  any  other  German  stock;  and  for  that 
reason  we  do  not  wish  to  be  regarded  as  minor 
brothers,  but  as  brothers  with  full  rights  and 
privileges."  So,  too,  it  is  said  that  the  King  of 
Wiirtemberg  left  the  Emperor's  side  in  anger  and 
withdrew  from  the  army  manoeuvres  in  1894.  I^ 
will  be  plain  to  any  one  who  reads  the  Emperor's 
speeches  that  very  few  of  them  are  made  in  South 
Germany.  Munich,  Leipzig,  and  Stuttgart  have 
been  visited  by  him  less  frequently  than  certain 
foreign  capitals.  This  is  due  in  part,  no  doubt, 
to  the  fact  that  the  reigning  sovereigns  of  these 
capitals  do  not  wish  to  see  a  greater  at  their  side. 
But  it  is  likewise  true  that  in  most  of  these  dis- 

309 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

tricts  the  Emperor's  reception  at  the  hands  of  the 
populace  would  be  far  less  warm  than  that  ac- 
corded to  him  at  Breslau  and  Berlin;  for,  if  the 
Emperor  is  warranted  in  expecting  a  particular 
loyalty  from  his  Prussians  and  Brandenburgers,  so, 
too,  are  the  hereditary  rulers  of  Bavaria,  Saxony, 
and  Wiirtemberg  warranted  in  expecting  a  partic- 
ular recognition  at  home,  which  must  necessarily 
be  deducted  from  the  possible  tribute  which  can  be 
paid  the  Emperor,  who  is  likewise  a  rival  King  and 
King  of  a  province  which  has  not  always  enjoyed 
the  favorable  consideration  of  South  Germans. 

It  was  on  this  day.  May  30,  five  hundred  years 
before  that  the  Burgrave  Frederick  VI  of  Hohen- 
zollern,  the  later  Elector  Frederick  I,  entered  the 
fortified  place  of  Brandenburg,  on  the  Havel.  In 
commemoration  of  this  fact,  a  fountain  and  an 
equestrian  statue  of  the  Elector  by  Professor  Man- 
zel  were  dedicated.  The  church  of  St.  Catherine 
had  likewise  been  restored  and  was  rededicated 
on  this  day.  After  the  unveiling,  the  Emperor 
proceeded  to  the  old  town  hall,  where  he  in- 
scribed his  name  in  the  city's  Golden  Book,  and 
after  he  had  accepted  the  drink  of  honor  offered 
him  by  the  burgomaster,  he  delivered  the  follow- 
ing address: 

I  am  deeply  grateful  to  the  city  of  Brandenburg 
for  having  thought  of  inviting  me  to  its  celebra- 
tion. It  has  been  a  celebration  whose  importance 
extends  far  beyond  the  walls  of  Brandenburg,  and 
I   rejoice  that  the   Brandenburgers  should  have 

310 


I9I2]  BRANDENBURG  ONCE  AGAIN 

wished  to  have  their  Elector  and  Margrave  with 
them,  just  as  it  goes  without  saying  that  the 
Elector  is  pleased  when  he  can  tarry  among  his 
Brandenburgers.  The  changes  of  history  which 
have  swept  over  the  German  Fatherland  have 
called  forth  and  laid  tasks  upon  many  a  dynasty, 
and  finally  it  was  the  dynasty  of  my  ancestors  who 
first  succeeded  after  many  dijfficulties  in  laying  the 
corner-stone  for  the  great  work  and  at  last  in 
building  up  the  work  itself — the  establishment  of 
German  unity  on  a  Brandenburger  basis  and  un- 
der the  leadership  of  Prussia.  We  must  not  forget 
that  it  must  have  been  a  difficult  decision  for  the 
ruler  of  the  land  in  those  days  and  the  later  Elector 
to  undertake  the  task  of  coming  into  this  country 
and  of  bringing  it  back  again  to  a  flourishing  con- 
dition. For  he  came  from  the  sunny  south,  which 
had  progressed  in  culture  and  whose  knighthood 
at  that  time  was  also  in  its  fullest  flower  of  cultural 
development.  We  have  already  learned  from 
reliable  hps  what  a  frightful  situation  existed  at 
that  time  in  the  unhappy  mark.  And  if  he  was 
successful  in  re-establishing  order  little  by  little 
and  in  sowing  the  seeds  for  new  flowers,  never- 
theless the  mark  had  to  pass  through  many 
grievous  storms  and  became  the  arena  of  foreign 
powers  and  foreign  lords.  But  at  last  the  Great 
Elector  and  the  great  King  drove  away  the  for- 

3" 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [May 

eigners  once  for  all  and  won  for  the  people  of  the 
mark  and  of  Prussia  the  right  to  hve  for  them- 
selves without  having  to  see  the  products  of  their 
industry  and  labor  fall  a  prey  to  the  caprices  of 
strangers.  And  when  at  last,  through  the  help  of 
God,  the  Prussian  edifice  was  completed  and  my 
grandfather,  in  the  long  period  of  peace,  had 
sharpened  the  sword  which  he  must  needs  have 
in  order  to  achieve  German  union,  th-en  for  a 
second  time,  on  a  grander  scale,  the  same  work  was 
accompKshed  which  had  previously  been  accom- 
plished for  the  mark.  And  he  succeeded  in  finally 
forbidding  the  strangers  to  trample  upon  our  fields 
and  to  destroy  our  labor  for  the  mere  sake  of  fol- 
lowing their  own  interests.  The  German  Empire 
and  the  German  crown  rest  upon  a  Brandenburg 
basis  and  a  Prussian  foundation.  On  that  account 
we  wish  on  this  day  to  remember  the  people  of 
the  mark  and  of  Brandenburg  and  not  least  the 
Brandenburgers  who  in  1870  risked  their  lives  and 
all  that  was  near  and  dear  to  them  in  order  to 
win  the  imperial  crown  for  the  old  master.  As 
long  as  a  HohenzoUern  lives  and  as  long  as  there 
are  Brandenburgers  both  of  them  will  remember 
Constantine  Alvensleben,  Vionville,  and  the  Third 
Corps.*     This  was  the  old  Brandenburger  loyalty 

*Constantine  Alvensleben,  commander  of  the  Third  (Brandenburg) 
Army  Corps,  played  an  important  part  in  the  battle  of  Vionville,  on 

312 


I9I2]  HAULING  DOWN  THE  FLAG 

which  had  been  preserved  through  all  the  centuries, 
and  I  hope  that  this  loyalty  may  be  the  possession 
of  the  coming  generations  of  the  city  of  Branden- 
burg. And  I  drink  this  cup  in  the  hope  that  this 
loyalty  may  never  be  extinguished. 

HAULING  DOWN  THE  FLAG 

Hamburg,  June  i8,  1912 

As  usual,  the  Emperor  was  present  at  the  meet- 
ing of  the  North  German  Regatta  Association. 
Since  1897  he  had  been  absent  but  once.  Certain 
references  in  his  address  here  doubtless  refer  back 
to  the  outcome  of  events  at  Agadir.  It  is  difficult 
to  tell  whether  or  not  he  is  on  the  defensive. 
Whatever  his  qualities  or  defects,  it  cannot  properly 
be  said  that  he  has  often  or  indeed  ever  publicly 
weakened  in  a  position  which  he  had  once  taken. 
He  has,  however,  occasionally  shifted  his  ground. 
Criticism,  instead  of  giving  him  pause,  has  usually 
had  the  effect  of  angering  him  and  of  immediately 
drawing  his  fire  upon  his  critics.  So,  in  regard  to 
the  criticism  of  his  agrarian  policy  on  the  part  of 
the  Prussian  land-owning  nobility,  he  replied  that 
"opposition  on  the  part  of  the  Prussian  nobility 
is  monstrous"  [ein  Unding].  As  the  opposition 
had  been  directed  solely  against  certain  policies 
and  not  against  him  personally,  his  statement  im- 
plies that  he  expected  the  Prussian  nobility  to 

the  i6th  of  August,  1870.  He  checked  the  French  army  operating 
from  Metz  and  held  it  until  the  arrival  of  reinforcements. 

313 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

support  him  in  all  of  his  positions.  He  expected 
personal  loyalty.  As  some  of  his  opponents  were 
members  of  the  Prussian  Landtag,  it  is  difficult  to 
see  what  would  become  of  the  idea  of  representa- 
tive government  in  case  the  representatives  of  the 
people  waived  their  opinions  and  those  of  their 
constituents  in  his  favor.  Some  of  the  sharpest 
criticism  which  the  Emperor  incurred  was  that 
which  followed  the  incidents  at  Tangier  in  1905 
and  at  Agadir  in  191 1.  In  both  cases  what  may  be 
called  the  war  party  showed  great  resentment,  and 
certain  of  the  criticisms  made  by  them  seem  to 
indicate  that  war,  to  them,  was  a  consummation 
devoutly  to  be  wished,  and  the  failure  to  make  war 
at  these  opportunities  was  looked  upon  as  a  de- 
feat. The  Emperor  seems  here  to  be  insisting 
upon  the  fact  that  the  flag  has  not  been  dishonored. 


Your  Magnificence  will  certainly  allow  me  to 
thank  you  for  the  address,  which  glowed  with 
flaming  patriotism  and  which  was  delivered  with 
such  a  sweep  of  oratory  that,  I  am  convinced, 
it  carried  away  all  those  here  assembled.  We  saw 
from  the  sketch  which  your  Magnificence  has 
given  us  how  in  all  centuries  the  history  of  our 
empire  and  of  our  people,  although  in  general 
attached  to  the  Continent,  nevertheless  always 
stood  in  close  relationship  with  the  water  and  the 
sea  and  that  it  has  always  been  more  or  less  in- 
fluenced by  it.    But  as  you  have  shown,  we  formerly 

314 


I9I2]  HAULING  DOWN  THE  FLAG 

failed  in  gathering  together  our  strength.  The 
flourishing  of  the  Hansa,  interesting  and  beautiful, 
and  for  a  time  powerful  as  it  was,  had  to  pass  away, 
because  it  lacked  the  support  of  the  imperial 
power.  Through  the  founding  of  the  empire  under 
my  grandfather  all  things  were  changed,  and  now 
the  German  merchant  can  go  his  way  peacefully, 
not  under  a  foreign  but  under  his  own  flag;  he 
can  exercise  all  his  capacities  and  be  sure  that, 
when  it  is  necessary,  the  protection  of  the  empire 
will  stand  behind  him.  That  is  only  possible 
when  all  our  powers  are  united  under  our  German 
flag.  But,  as  you  all  know,  gentlemen,  the  flag 
must  wave  in  honor;  and  it  dare  not  lightly 
spread  its  folds  to  the  wind  nor  be  lightly  set  up 
where  we  are  not  sure  of  being  able  to  defend  it. 
You  will  understand  why  I  have  acted  with  this 
reserve  in  extending  the  reach  of  the  German  flag 
where  many  perhaps  would  have  desired  and  longed 
to  see  it.  I  have  allowed  myself  to  be  guided 
by  an  old  Hanseatic  proverb  which  stands  in 
significant  letters  over  the  town  hall  at  Lubeck: 
"The  little  flag  is  easily  tied  to  the  staflF,  but  it  is 
difiicult  to  haul  it  down  with  honor."  Now, 
gentlemen,  I  believe  that  I  can  say  without  fear 
of  contradiction  that  up  to  the  present  no  one  has 
ever  dared  off'er  an  indignity  to  our  flag  so  long  as 
I  have  been  reigning.     I  will  promise  and  hold  to 

31S 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Oct. 

it  that  wherever  you  go  ahead  there  my  flag  shall 
follow  you.  That  is  true  in  great  as  in  little  things. 
Every  man  binds  his  flag  to  the  staff"  in  the  morn- 
ing and  hopes  to  conquer.  Not  every  one  is  suc- 
cessful. In  spite  of  that,  we  rejoice  that  on  this 
day  of  the  Elbe  regatta  not  only  German  but 
also  many  boats  of  related  and  friendly  peoples 
are  present  and  make  the  scene  a  picturesque  one. 
Therefore  we  rejoice,  and  again  I  whole-heartedly 
express  the  hope  that  sailing  and  water  sport  on 
the  Elbe  and  on  the  Baltic,  on  the  inland  lakes  as 
on  the  sea,  may  grow  and  prosper.  We,  however, 
who  have  gathered  here  under  the  flag  of  Hamburg, 
on  the  beautiful  ship  of  the  Hamburg-American 
Line,  raise  our  glasses  and  drink  to  the  health  of 
the  city  of  Hamburg  and  all  seamen  here  as- 
sembled. The  city  of  Hamburg — Hurrah  !  Hur- 
rah !    Hurrah ! 


ACCIDENT  TO  A  ZEPPELIN 

Bonn,  October  17,  1913 

Nineteen  hundred  and  thirteen  was  a  jubilee 
year  in  the  history  both  of  Germany  and  in  the 
Emperor's  reign.  In  the  first  place,  it  was  the 
one-hundredth  anniversary  of  the  famous  bat- 
tle of  the  nations  at  Leipzig,  which  marked  the 
turning  of  the  tide  in  the  fortunes  of  Napoleon. 
On   innumerable  occasions  the  Emperor,  in  the 

316 


1913]  ACCIDENT  TO  A  ZEPPELIN 

speeches  already  printed,  has  referred  to  this  crisis 
in  the  affairs  of  Germany;  he  was,  curiously  enough, 
not  to  make  the  address  on  this  famous  occasion, 
for  the  celebration  was  to  take  place  at  Leipzig  and 
the  addresses  were  made  by  Doctor  Clemens  and 
by  the  King  of  Saxony.  The  journals  noted  that 
during  the  address  of  Doctor  Clemens  the  Em- 
peror, who  was  present,  showed  no  enthusiasm  and 
looked  bored.  The  joyous  occasion  had  been 
clouded  by  the  unfortunate  accident  to  the  naval 
Zeppelin  L-2  on  the  previous  day.  As  the  Em- 
peror had  succeeded  to  the  throne  on  the  fifteenth 
of  June,  1888,  the  year  marked  also  the  comple- 
tion of  twenty-five  years  of  his  reign,  and  the  week 
of  June  15  had  been  one  of  continual  celebration 
and  many  speeches.  He  issued  innumerable  par- 
dons and  conferred  many  titles  and  decorations, 
among  them  the  title  of  general  on  his  Chancel- 
lor, Von  Bethmann-Hollweg.  His  many  speeches 
were,  however,  for  the  most  part,  merely  ac- 
ceptances of  congratulations  and,  aside  from  the 
renewed  expression  of  his  hope  to  maintain  peace, 
are  not  particularly  significant  to  the  student. 
The  sense  of  increased  tension  is  evident  every- 
where and  seems  to  have  reacted  upon  him,  as  he 
does  not  express  himself  with  his  former  en- 
thusiasm. He  repeats  his  old  themes,  the  neces- 
sity of  disregarding  party  divisions  and  in  partic- 
ular the  need  of  holding  fast  to  rehgious  ideals  and 
of  moral  regeneration. 

On  the  seventeenth  of  October,  1913,  on  the  eve 
of  the  great  national  celebration,  the  naval  Zep- 
pelin L-2,  shortly  after  starting  on  a  flight  from 

317 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

Johannisthal  to  Hamburg,  met  with  a  most  dis- 
tressing accident.  An  explosion  occurred,  the  bal- 
loon caught  fire  and  burst,  and  the  gondola  fell 
with  its  crew.  The  twenty-seven  officers  and  men 
were  killed.  From  Bonn  the  Emperor  issued  the 
following  statement.  The  text,  as  well  as  that  of 
the  speech  of  June  23,  1914,  is  taken  from  the 
Berliner  Tageblait. 

Again  fate  has  laid  a  heavy  hand  upon  my  navy. 
The  dirigible  L-2  was  destroyed  by  an  explosion, 
and  nearly  thirty  brave  men,  among  them  many 
of  the  ablest  in  developing  this  new  species  of  war- 
craft,  lost  their  lives.  Their  death  in  the  service 
of  the  Fatherland  will  be  honorably  remembered 
by  me  and  the  entire  German  people.  Our  very 
deepest  sympathy  goes  out  to  their  relatives.  But 
grief  over  what  has  happened  will  only  spur  us  on 
to  renewed  efforts  to  develop  this  so  important 
aerial  weapon  into  a  reliable  engine  of  war. 

William,  I.  R. 


WE  GERMANS  FEAR  GOD,  NOTHING  ELSE 

Hamburg,  June  23,  1914 

The  following  speech  is,  we  believe,  the  last  one 
delivered  by  the  Emperor  before  the  murder  of 
the  Archduke  Franz  Ferdinand  (June  28),  which 
precipitated  the  war.  True  to  his  custom,  the  Em- 
peror is  again  at  Hamburg  at  the  regatta  which 

318 


I9I4]  WE  GERMANS  FEAR   GOD 

usually  marks  the  beginning  of  his  summer  holi- 
day. This  year  his  yacht  Meteor  was  to  win  the 
Hamburg  prize.  The  banquet  at  which  he  or- 
dinarily delivered  his  address  was  to  be  held  on 
board  the  Victoria  Luise,  and  the  president  of  the 
association,  Doctor  Schroder,  who  made  the  ad- 
dress preceding  the  Emperor's,  alluded  to  the 
disaster  to  the  Z-i  and  the  destruction  of  that 
boat  off  Heligoland.  He  followed  it  with  a  dis- 
cussion of  Germany's  progress  in  naval  and  aerial 
development.  The  Emperor  answers  with  his 
usual  compliments  to  Hamburg.  His  naval  policy 
and  his  policy  of  expansion  had  profited  the  sea- 
port towns  particularly,  and  he  was  always  a  wel- 
come guest.  In  the  year  of  his  jubilee,  1913,  the 
Hamburg-American  Line  had  done  him  the  honor 
to  name  one  of  their  bjoats  the  Imperator,  and 
this  year  they  had  latinched  the  great  thirty- 
thousand-ton  Bisvtarck.  If  his  speech  on  this  oc- 
casion shows  nothing  particularly  new,  one  thing 
at  least  is  interesting  from  the  change  which  he 
introduces  in  Bismarck's  famous  statement.  The 
Emperor  himself  has  quoted  it  previously  (April 
24,  1901):  "We  Germans  fear  God,  nothing  else 
in  the  world."  Here  it  seems  to  have  in  it  a  little 
more  of  defiance  and  possibly  of  challenge:  "We 
Germans  fear  God  and  absolutely  nobody  and 
nothing  else  in  the  world." 

May  your  Magnificence  allow  me  to  express 
my  thanks  for  your  friendly  words  and  for  the 
picture  of  the  past  progress  of  important  phases  of 

319 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [June 

our  national  development!  I  would  like  to  in- 
clude in  my  expression  of  thanks  a  heartfelt  ap- 
preciation of  the  delightful  reception  which  this 
year,  as  in  other  years,  was  accorded  me  by  the 
population  of  the  city  of  Hamburg.  It  was 
noticeable  in  the  oldest  citizen  and  in  the  youngest 
child.  I  have  been  able  to  see  how  the  hearty  and 
close  relationship  between  Hamburg  citizens  and 
myself  has  gradually  become  traditional,  for  it 
passes  on  from  generation  to  generation.  Your 
Magnificence,  has  spoken  of  the  sources  which 
provide  us  with  the  material  for  the  Fatherland's 
activity  on  the  seas  and  has  cited  some  brilliant 
examples  in  this  line.  Although  I,  too,  have  noted 
with  pleasure  how  sport  has  developed  greatly, 
I  would,  nevertheless,  like  to  call  attention  to  the 
fact  that  in  one  respect  I  believe  our  nation  is 
following  the  right  path.  We  are  right  in  at- 
tempting to  bring  the  mass  to  a  higher  level  of 
development  rather  than  to  scoop  out  isolated 
great  performances  from  a  generally  lowered 
average.  The  water  sports  which  we  foster  and 
which  have  again  brought  us  together  here,  have 
also  seen  a  new  yacht  appear  under  my  flag,  and 
it  has  been  successful  in  winning  the  Hamburg 
state  prize,  for  which  honor  I  am  joyously  grateful. 
The  yacht  is  the  creation  of  a  German  Hanseatic 
shipbuilder  and  was  built  by  experienced  hands 

320 


1914I  WE  GERMANS  FEAR  GOD 

at  the  well-known  wharves  of  Mr.  Krupp,  on  the 
water-front.  This,  too,  is  an  indication  of  the  de- 
velopment of  our  technical  skill,  which  was  possible 
only  in  the  long  period  of  peace  which  was  granted 
us  after  the  stirring  years  of  military  prowess. 
It  is  a  symbol  of  peace  which  the  merchant,  the 
banker,  the  ship-owner  needs  in  order  to  develop, 
and  which  they  have  used  each  in  his  own  calling 
to  such  magnificent  effect.  I  am  sure  I  represent 
the  feelings  of  all  those  assembled  here  on  this 
beautiful  and  well-known  ship  of  the  Hamburg- 
American  Line  when  I  thank  that  line  particu- 
larly for  the  great  day  they  recently  prepared  for 
us.  As  another  symbol  of  the  long  period  of  peace, 
a  few  days  ago  the  Bismarck  left  its  stocks.  It  is 
the  greatest  vessel  now  afloat.  We  all  of  us  know 
very  well  that  this  was  no  ordinary  launching, 
both  because  of  the  size  of  the  ship  and  because 
of  the  impression  and  attitude  of  the  spectators. 
The  Hamburg-American  Line,  through  the  build- 
ing of  this  vessel,  gave  us  the  occasion  for  a  great 
national  festival  at  the  moment  when  the  thirty 
thousand  tons  glided  down  into  the  water.  It  was 
as  if  all  the  dross  had  been  taken  out  of  the  lives 
of  those  of  us  who  were  present,  and  even  from  the 
lives  of  all  other  Germans,  as  we  may  judge  from 
the  expressions  which  come  to  us  from  all  parts  of 
the  country.     Envy,  pettiness,  daily  conflicts  dis- 

321 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR       [June,  1914 

appeared.  All  hearts  beat  higher  and  remembered 
the  great  time  and  the  great  men  who  wrought 
in  it  and  thought  of  the  Great  Emperor  and  of 
his  Iron  Chancellor.  It  is  for  us  to  administer 
further  the  legacy  that  has  come  down  to  us.  Just 
as  in  our  individual  efforts  and  in  our  sports  we 
summon  up  and  exert  all  our  powers  to  reach  our 
goal,  so  too  we  must  do  the  same  for  our  Father- 
land. We  must  be  in  a  position  to  take  to  heart 
and  to  exemplify  practically  one  of  the  finest 
utterances  coined  by  the  Iron  Chancellor.  We 
must  so  live  and  act  that  we  shall  at  all  times 
say  with  him:  "We  Germans  fear  God  and  ab- 
solutely nobody  and  nothing  else  in  the  world." 
With  this  feeling  I  raise  my  glass  and  ask  you  to 
drink  with  me  to  the  city  of  Hamburg,  the  Regatta 
Association,  and  the  Hamburg- American  Line — 
Hurrah  !    Hurrah  !    Hurrah  ! 


322 


IX 

AT  THE  OUTBREAK  OF 
THE  WAR 

As  there  is  no  official  edition  of  the  Emperor's 
recent  addresses,  the  following  five  speeches  and 
decrees  are  taken  from  the  Frankfurter  Zeitung, 

FORCING  THE  SWORD  INTO  HIS  HAND 

Berlin,  July  31,  1914 

On  the  31st  of  July  the  Emperor  made  the  fol- 
lowing address  from  the  balcony  of  the  Royal  Pal- 
ace in  Berlin: 

A  grievous  situation  has  come  upon  Germany. 
Envious  nations  on  all  sides  are  forcing  us  to 
justified  defense.  They  are  forcing  the  sword  into 
my  hand.  If  my  attempts  are  not  successful  in 
bringing  our  opponents  to  their  senses  and  in 
keeping  peace  at  the  eleventh  hour,  I  hope  that 
with  God's  help  we  may  so  use  the  sword  that  we 
may  be  able  to  sheathe  it  again  with  honor.  Enor- 
mous sacrifices  in  life  and  property  would  be 
demanded  from  the  German  people  by  a  war; 
but  we  would  show  the  enemy  what  it  means  to 

323 


THE   GERMAN   EMPEROR  [Aug. 

attack  Germany.  And  now  I  bid  you  go  to  the 
church,  bow  down  before  God  and  ask  His  help 
for  our  brave  army. 

AN  END  OF  PARTIES 

Berlin,  August  i,  1914 

After  the  order  of  mobiHzation,  the  Emperor 
made  the  following  brief  speech  from  the  window 
of  the  Royal  Palace: 

If  we  must  have  war,  all  parties  cease.  We  are 
only  German  brothers.  In  times  of  peace  this  or 
that  party  has  attacked  me;  I  forgive  them  now 
with  all  my  heart.  If  our  neighbors  are  not  satis- 
fied to  leave  us  in  peace,  then  we  hope  and  pray 
that  our  good  German  sword  will  come  out  of  the 
struggle  victorious. 

OPENING  OF  THE  REICHSTAG 

Berlin,  August  4,  1914 

The  Emperor  opened  the  special  session  of  the 
Reichstag  with  the  following  address: 

Honored  Gentlemen: 

At  a  time  big  with  consequences  I  have  as- 
sembled the  elected  representatives  of  the  German 
people  about  me.  For  nearly  half  a  century  we 
have  been  allowed  to  follow  the  ways  of  peace. 
The  attempts  to  attribute  to  Germany  warlike  in- 

324 


I9I4]  OPENING  OF   THE   REICHSTAG 

tentions  and  to  hedge  in  her  position  in  the  world 
have  often  sorely  tried  the  patience  of  my  peo- 
ple. Undeterred,  my  government  has  pursued  the 
development  of  our  moral,  spiritual,  and  economic 
strength  as  its  highest  aim,  with  all  frankness,  even 
under  provocative  circumstances  !  The  world  has 
been  witness  that  during  the  last  years,  under  all 
pressure  and  confusion,  we  have  stood  in  the  first 
rank  in  saving  the  nations  of  Europe  from  a  war 
between  the  great  powers.  The  most  serious 
dangers  to  which  the  events  in  the  Balkans  had 
given  rise  seemed  to  have  been  overcome — then 
suddenly  an  abyss  was  opened  through  the  mur- 
der of  my  friend  the  Archduke  Franz  Ferdinand. 
My  lofty  ally,  the  Emperor  and  King  Franz 
Joseph,  was  forced  to  take  up  arms  to  defend  the 
security  of  his  empire  against  dangerous  machina- 
tions from  a  neighboring  state.  The  Russian  em- 
pire stepped  in  the  way  of  the  allied  monarchy 
following  out  her  just  interests.  Not  only  our 
duty  as  ally  calls  us  to  the  side  of  Austria-Hungary, 
but  it  is  our  great  task  to  protect  our  own  position 
and  the  old  community  of  culture  between  the 
two  empires  against  the  attack  of  hostile  forces. 
With  a  heavy  heart  I  have  had  to  mobilize  the 
army  against  a  neighbor  with  whom  it  had  fought 
side  by  side  on  many  a  battle-field.  With  un- 
feigned sorrow  I  saw  broken  a  friendship  which  had 

325 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

been  faithfully  preserved  by  Germany.  The  im- 
perial Russian  Government,  yielding  to  the  pres- 
sure of  an  insatiable  nationaUsm,  has  taken  sides 
for  a  state  which  through  its  sanctioning  of 
criminal  attacks  has  brought  about  the  evils  of 
this  war.  That  France,  too,  should  have  taken 
sides  with  our  enemy  could  not  surprise  us;  too 
often  have  our  attempts  to  come  to  friendlier 
relationships  with  the  French  Republic  failed 
because  of  her  old  hopes   and  old  resentments. 

Honored  Gentlemen,  what  human  insight  and 
power  could  do  to  equip  a  people  for  these  utter- 
most decisions  has  been  done  with  your  patriotic 
assistance.  The  hostility  which  has  been  making 
itself  felt  in  the  east  and  in  the  west  for  a  long 
time  past  has  now  broken  out  in  bright  flame. 
The  present  situation  is  not  the  result  of  passing 
conflicts  of  interests  or  of  diplomatic  conjunctions; 
it  is  the  result  of  an  ill  will  which  has  been  active 
for  many  years  against  the  power  and  the  pros- 
perity of  the  German  Empire. 

No  lust  of  conquest  drives  us  on;  we  are  inspired 
by  the  unalterable  will  to  protect  the  place  in 
which  God  has  set  us  for  ourselves  and  all  coming 
generations.  From  the  documents  which  have 
been  submitted  to  you,  you  will  see  how  my 
government  and  especially  my  Chancellor  have 
endeavored  even  to  the  last  moment  to  stave  off 

326 


1914]  TO  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

the  inevitable.  In  a  defensive  war  that  has  been 
forced  upon  us,  with  a  clear  conscience  and  a 
clean  hand  we  take  up  the  sword.  I  issue  my  call 
to  the  peoples  and  stocks  of  the  German  Empire, 
that  with  their  united  strength  they  may  stand 
like  brothers  with  our  aUies  in  order  to  defend 
what  we  have  created  through  the  works  of  peace. 
Following  the  example  of  our  fathers,  staunch 
and  true,  earnest  and  knightly,  humble  before 
God,  but  with  the  joy  of  battle  in  the  face  of  the 
enemy,  we  trust  in  the  Almighty  to  strengthen 
our  defense  and  guide  us  to  good  issue.  Honored 
Gentlemen,  the  German  people  gathered  about 
their  princes  and  leaders  are  to-day  looking  to 
you.  Come  to  your  decisions  quickly  and  unan- 
imously.    Such  is  my  most  earnest  wish. 

TO  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY 

Berlin,  August  6,  1914 
On  this  date  the  following  statement  was  issued 
to  the  army  and  navy: 

After  forty-three  years  of  peace,  I  call  all  the 
available  forces  to  arms.  We  must  defend  our 
most  sacred  possessions,  the  Fatherland,  and  our 
own  hearths,  against  ruthless  attack.  Enemies 
round  about  us  !  That  is  the  characteristic  of  the 
situation.  We  must  expect  a  great  conflict  and 
to  make  great  sacrifices.     I  have  confidence  that 

327 


THE  GERMAN  EMPEROR  [Aug. 

the  old  warlike  spirit  still  lives  in  the  German 
people,  that  powerful  warlike  spirit  which  attacks 
the  enemy  wherever  found  and  at  whatever  cost 
and  which  has  always  been  the  fear  and  terror  of 
our  enemies.  I  have  confidence  in  you,  you  Ger- 
man soldiers.  In  every  one  of  you  there  lives  the 
eager,  unconquerable  will  to  triumph.  Every  one 
of  you  knows  how  to  die  like  a  hero  if  need  be. 
Think  of  our  great  and  glorious  past.  Remember 
that  you  are  Germans.     God  help  us. 

(Signed)     William,  I.  R. 

Berlin,  August  6,  1914. 

PROCLAMATION  TO  THE  GERMAN  PEOPLE 

Berlin,  August  6,  1914 

The  following  proclamation  was  issued  on  the 
evening  of  this  date: 

To  THE  German  People: 

Since  the  founding  of  the  empire,  for  forty-three 
years  it  has  been  the  earnest  aim  of  my  ancestors 
and  myself  to  maintain  peace  with  the  world  and 
to  further  our  powerful  advance  in  peace.  But 
our  opponents  envy  us  the  fruit  of  our  labors. 
In  the  consciousness  of  our  responsibility  and  our 
strength,  we  must  endure  overt  and  covert  hostility 
from  east  and  west  and  from  across  the  sea.  But 
now  they  wish  to  humble  us.    They  demand  that 

328 


I9I4]  PROCLAMATION 

with  folded  arms  we  should  watch  our  enemies 
prepare  themselves  for  an  underhand  attack. 
They  do  not  wish  to  allow  us  in  loyal  determina- 
tion to  stand  by  our  ally,  who  is  fighting  for  his 
position  as  a  great  power  and  with  whose  humilia- 
tion our  own  power  and  honor  will  also  be  lost.  So 
the  sword  must  decide  !  The  enemy  surprises  us 
while  we  are  entirely  at  peace.  Therefore,  to 
arms !  Any  wavering,  any  hesitation  would  be 
treachery  to  the  Fatherland.  We  must  fight  for 
the  existence  or  non-existence  of  our  empire,  which 
our  fathers  lately  founded  for  themselves;  for 
the  existence  or  non-existence  of  German  power 
and  German  life.  We  shall  fight  to  the  last  breath 
of  man  and  horse,  and  we  shall  continue  this  con- 
flict against  a  world  of  enemies.  Germany  has 
never  yet  been  conquered  as  long  as  she  was  united. 
Go  forward  with  God,  who  will  be  with  us  as  He 
was  with  our  fathers. 

(Signed)     William,  I.  R. 

Berlin,  August  6,  19 14. 


329 


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